Spirit of the Dragon
by bsampson0330
Summary: Eragon has left Alegesia, and is never returning. A few months into his journey, he starts having weird dreams of being a dragon. Subtle changes start happening, and when Saphira is threatened, a fire awakes in him unlike any he or anyone else has seen before...
1. A Wish

**Okay, so this idea wouldn't get out of my head. I will still try to post for other stories, but I want to get this one out there.**

...

As the Tatalia floated down the river, Eragon stood on the prow of the ship. Saphira flew gracefully overhead, keeping a sharp lookout for anything. Eragon always admired Saphira as she flew, and at time wished he could do the same. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the river. Deep clear water showed all kinds of fish, from small, sleek ones, to massive, vicious ones as long as the boat. " _How's the weather up there?_ " Eragon asked.

" _Perfect. The wind is just right to give me enough lift to let me rest my wings._ " Saphira hummed. Eragon smiled, proud of his dragon. Over the past two years, ever since she had hatched, he had always had a very close bond with her, strengthened by their pair as dragon and rider. The elves on the ship wandered the deck, talking about whatever they could.

Later in the evening, a cold, bitter wind blew from the south, bringing with it a hard, driving rainstorm. Saphira landed on the shore nearby, cold and wet. Eragon ordered the boat be brought ashore, and a fire made to keep everyone warm. As the sparks flew, the fire warmed everyone, even Saphira. The rain turned to thunder, and the thunder turned to lightning. Saphira shuddered with every bolt that struck, as part of an unfortunate instinct.

Eragon fell asleep under Saphira's wing, just like he did usually when they traveled. In the warmth of the fire and of Saphira, he slept well, until the dreams started.

 _The wind against his face, the air under his wings. He knew this dream all too well. Flying higher and higher, he rose above the sun, above the stars and the moon, beyond all that they knew. But, something was wrong. He felt himself changing, his wings vanish, and his form change. He was falling, falling forever, back to the earth, back to the ground, to his death. Calling out for help, he saw no one. Calling again for anyone, someone answered:_

" _This is your time. Your time to be what you have dreamed of. Let your dreams no longer be dreams, let the spirit of the dragon awake in you."_

Eragon jolted awake, the sun shining on his face. Saphira glanced down at him, sensing his confusion. " _What is it? What is bothering you, little one?_ " Eragon looked around, still panting.

" _Just a dream Saphira, just a dream._ "

...

 **Okay, short first chapter, but I don't want to go too deep right away. I know where I'm going with this, and I would like your feedback. Thanks.**


	2. Signs

As they flew, Eragon told Saphira about his dream. " _It's like all the rest of them, but I started falling at the end, like I wasn't a dragon anymore. It was terrifying._ "

" _Eragon, dreams are just that: dreams._ "

" _No, this was more than just a dream. Like a prophecy or a premonition. It's like the dreams I had of Arya while she was captured in Gilead._ "  
" _Yes, but if you remember, she was sending you dreams through telepathic communication. You were sharing your thoughts with her._ "

" _Yes, but this seems different. I can't explain it._ " Saphira sighed. Eragon stepped onto the boat, and they were underway once more.

" _You think on this then, I shall go see if I can find anything other than fish and plants._ " Following the wind, she turned south. Over the next few hours, Eragon talked over the dream with Glaedr and several of the elves, to no avail. No one had ever heard of anything like that. The only one he showed the dream to was Glaedr, who said that the voice seemed strangely familiar.

" _I must have heard it somewhere, but my life has been long, and I have seen much. It would take me a few days to figure this out, but I am certain that I have heard that voice before..._ "

"Thank you, Glaedr elda." Saphira finally returned, and her catch was quite large. Two large bucks that were plenty large enough for her. Eragon started to munch on some of the food they had brought with them, but found himself glancing over to Saphira's catch, now wishing that he could have just a bit. The meat looked rather appealing suddenly, the tender, juicy muscles, and the flavorful, raw fat on them. _Raw? Where has this sudden urge for meat come from?_ Eragon wondered.

" _Care for a bite? I've seen you eyeing it for the past ten minutes._ " Saphira said, startling him.

" _I was not eyeing them!_ " Unfortunately, Saphira showed him an image of him looking over, and staring at the meat. " _Sometimes I hate the fact that we can show each other our thoughts._ " A deep chuckle came from her as she tore off a leg.

" _Here._ "

" _I can't Saphira. You know that. I won't eat it, it's against my beliefs._ " Eragon said, but he never took his eyes off the meat. As time went on, the urge to eat it became stronger and stronger. Finally giving in, he went off to gather sticks for a fire. Once he had gathered enough, he lit the fire, but something told him to not cook the meat. Making sure none of the elves were around too see him, he took a bite of the raw meat, the juices dripping down his chin.

" _You are eating it raw? If I remember correctly, you have said that that would make you sick._ "

"I'm trying something new." he said as he took another mouthful. Saphira watched as her rider devoured the meat with the ferocity of a starving dragon. Much to her delight, Eragon had made quite a mess, and needed to be cleaned before going back to the boat. Heading over to the river, Eragon got himself cleaned. Saphira watched the river, looking for predators, or the boat.

Finally cleaned of the blood and juices, Eragon mounted Saphira, eager to be in the air. "I've been on the ground far too long, I want to fly." Through their bond, Saphira could feel his excitement, his thrill. It had never been so strong before, but he was always trying to fly with her whenever he got the chance.

" _You seem very happy today._ "

"I am." he smiled.

" _Are you sure? You ate raw meat, quite fiercely, and you seem ecstatic about flying, even more than before. Are you sure you're okay?_ "

"I'm fine, no, better than fine. I have you, and Blodgharm and the other elves, and we don't have to worry about anything. No war, no politics, no enemies, at least for now."

" _Your eyes are different too._ "

"My eyes? What do you mean?" Saphira flashed an image into his mind, showing his eyes from a few days ago, and then from a few minutes before. Instead of normal eyes, they had a more... ancient look to them. A small flicker of a fire appeared for just a moment, before vanishing back into the deep blue of his eyes. He also noticed that his eyebrows were changing, becoming slightly more conform with his head.

" _Eragon? Are you okay?_ " Saphira asked, bringing him out of his memory. " _You've been just staring for twelve minutes, and we're at the boat._ "

"No, I'm not going back to the boat, the elves will notice this."

" _You can't hide it forever._ "

Eragon sighed. She was right, as usual. Bracing himself for a bombardment of questions, he leapt off of Saphira, and onto the deck of the ship.

...

 **So, I wrote this chapter right after the first, just to get the story going. I hope you enjoyed the second chapter of this story. Be sure to check out all my other stories too.**


	3. Not Enough Answers

As Eragon dismounted, he braced himself for the bombardment of questions. Blodhgarm walked up to him, with a concerned look on his face. "Where have you been? We have been worried."

"My apologies, I was out with Saphira, flying with her."

"You were gone a long time, surely you weren't flying the whole time."

"We did land and discuss a few things."

"I see, then I shall not intrude any furthur." And with that, he wlked back to what he was doing. Sensing his confusion from their bond, Saphira questioned him on it.

" _He didn't ask about my eyes. I was sure he would._ "

" _Perhaps he didn't notice, or he did, but was being friendly enough to not point it out._ "

" _It's not like him, or any of them. They should have noticed._ " Eragon went over to another elf, and asked him if he noticed anything different about him.

"No, Shadeslayer, nothing more than the usual: curiosity, a sharp mind, and a powerful bond with a dragon, a beautiful one at that."

"What about my eyes? Are they... different?"

"Not that I can tell."

"May I see what you see?"

"Certainly." A memory flashed into his mind, showing Eragon, but without the transformations. A normal face, human eyes, and no small glimmer of fire. Eragon sighed, it must have just been his imagination. But then, Saphira saw it too. Could they both have imagined the same thing?

"Thank you, I must consult Glaedr." The elf pardoned him, and Eragon linked his mind with Glaedr, telling him everything, including his urge to eat meat raw.

" _This is very disturbing indeed. I too, can see your transformations, even through the eyes of the elves, but none of them can see for themselves. What other things have you noticed?_ "

" _I have noticed none besides these few. Ask Saphira, she may notice more than me._ "

" _I have also been wracking my memory, and those of the other Eldunari, and we still are pondering the voice that you heard. We believe it may be tied to the transformations you are experiencing._ "

" _But we blocked the use of the Name of Names._ " It was true, the Name was powerful, too powerful. Eragon, Saphira, the elves, the Eldunari, the humans, dwarves, and even the urgals all decided that it was too powerful to use. A mutual agreement was made, and Eragon, with one spellcaster from each race, created a very powerful spell, one to prevent it from being used, unless all of them were present, and their minds melded with one another.

" _Yes, but I believe we are dealing with an older, more ancient, magic. One that may even precede the dragons._ "

" _Thank you master._ " Eragon bid him farewell, and retired for the night in his room, pondering what the old dragon had said.

...

 _He was flying again, but not alone this time. A bright blue dragon flew next to him. "Please, do it for me." She pleaded, and he knew it was Saphira._

" _I will, and I will come back for you. I promise." The two landed, wary of the danger in the forest. The elves they were carrying had gotten off, and were preparing a camp, when a blade shot out of the darkness, killing one. In the moment of panic, two more elves fell, leaving Blodhgarm the only one left. Blade at the ready, he engaged a creature in combat, and in the brief moment before all faded, Eragon heard one word:_

" _RAZAC!"_


	4. Hunting

**Sorry about the passage of time, if that bothers anyone. I just don't like to keep track of the same thing happening every single day. It can get quite boring. And sorry about not updating as often as some people would like, I've been busy with work and my cousins.**

...

A week had passed since the last dream, and his urges only got stronger. He craved meat more and more. His physical changes were more prominent, and his teeth were becoming sharper now. The small spark that he had seen was now constantly there, but as an emerald green inferno. He had been debating what the last dream was for a while, and he finally decided to ask for the elves help. Blodhgarm seemed like the best choice, as he knew him best. "Blodhgarm!" He called, bringing the elf over to him. "May I speak with you in private?"  
"What do you wish to speak of, Arglantam?" He said after making sure they couldn't be heard.

"I have had strange dreams recently, of myself, you, Saphira, and... the Razac."

"Could you explain these dreams to me?" And so, Eragon told him everything, from the first one of him flying.

"They seemed so real, so... lifelike. They seem like premonitions, warnings of the future."

"Premonitions? With the Razac? The Razac are all dead, but the rest has not come to pass yet. Be mindful of the future. Trying to change it may cause it to happen. You are lucky, I have done extensive studies on time. I've found that time is a river, always flowing. Where it has gone, you cannot change, but where it's going, you have power over. You cannot go backwards up the river, for that would disrupt it, and you would merely drift back down. Do not dwell on the past, for that cannot change, and do not dwell on the future, for that has too many options. Keep your focus on the now, and that will help guide you."

"But I've always heard to be careful of the future, lest I destroy it."

"Yes, you must be careful of the future, but you must focus on the now, otherwise you may ruin your future. The key is balance." Eragon sighed.

"Thank you. Your words have been helpful."

"It is always my pleasure." Blodhgarm stood up, and left Eragon in his room, leaving Eragon pondering what he said. Part of him wanted to just forget everything that happened in the dreams, and go on with his life, but another part wanted to let it happen, and let the future take whatever path it needed to.

" _You are troubled, young one. What is the matter?_ " Saphira said.

" _Nothing, I'm just thinking._ " He could tell that she wanted to know more, but she knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him. " _Meet me on deck in a few minutes. I want to go hunting again._ " He felt a strange satisfaction through their bond, and the thundering of her wings as she landed. He walked out, and mounted her. "I will be back in an hour, give or take fifteen minutes." Blodhgarm nodded. They remained silent as they flew, each knowing that they would talk when they were ready.

"There, herd of deer. Land over there, and let me try hunting them down using some of my old methods from back when we were in Carvahall."

" _I don't understand why you would want to do that. It would be easier to just kill them_."

"It's not the outcome I want, it's the thrill of doing it. It's easier to kill them, yes, but what fun would that be?" Saphira snorted.

" _I for one would like to eat today. Good luck with you hunting. I will just kill them, it's more fun to not starve._ "

"Happy hunting." Saphira rolled her eyes, and went off to catch her lunch. Eragon looked closely at the ground, watching each of the tracks. They were there only a few hours ago, but had moved in a hurry. There were several other tracks intermingled with them, which he noticed were wolves tracks, but they were long gone with their kill. Eragon picked one of the tracks, and began to follow them. The deer he picked was young, but large, for the prints were deep in the hard ground. A shadow passed overhead, and a thud nearby told him that Saphira had found her kill, and he was hoping that it wasn't the same deer he was after. He quickened his pace, his keen eyes following the trail. Within a matter of minutes, his prey was in sight. Drawing his bow, he silently readied himself to kill the creature. As the arrow flew, the deer looked at him, as if it knew he was it's killer, and it started to run, only to have the arrow pierce it's hide, killing it and scattering the deer. Pleased with his kill, he took it over to where Saphira was enjoying hers, or what was left.

" _Ah, the mighty hunter returns. What took so long? Did they outsmart you?_ " Eragon smirked.

"No, I was delayed because of you. You scattered them with your hunting, and I had to follow them even further."

" _I offered for you to hunt with me._ "

"Yes, but I enjoyed the hunt." Eragon began to devour his meat, when he got the strange feeling he was being watched.

"Enjoying your meat Eragon?" Eragon slowly turned around to see _her_ leaning against a tree.

"Don't tell the elves." He managed to say, mouth dripping with juices and meat.

"Not a word." Angela said.

...

 **I know that last line is from LotR, but it's such a fun line! Sorry for having such short chapters, but they will get longer, I promise.**


	5. Angela's Secret

**The way I've always seen Angela is her just poking her head up from the middle of a massive crowd, just being in the center of everything. I like her, but she's not the main focus of the story. She won't be as big as Eragon or Saphira (obviously), but she has a big part to play later.**

...

Saphira growled as Angela came closer, but the witch didn't waver. "And your eyes, they are different." she said. "What form of magic are you using?"

"There is nothing wrong with my eyes, you must be imagining things." Eragon said, cleaning up his mess. The parts Eragon didn't want to eat he tossed to Saphira, who snatched them out of the air.

" _Your loss._ " she said, jaws snapping down on the bones. Angela sat down and began watching as Eragon sat next to Saphira, waiting for him to start talking.

"Start talking. You followed us here, and you only now show yourself. Why must you follow us everywhere, and what do you want?" Eragon demanded. He was not pleased.

"I have already told you. I am always where the next big thing is happening, and you always are in the middle of it." Angela said with a smile. "The elves wouldn't want me on the boat, and neither would Saphira, so I followed a few days behind you."

" _Eragon, we have to be getting back. The elves might start to worry._ "  
"I agree. We are leaving." Eragon said.

"Going back to the elves? Well, why don't I come along?" Angela was surprisingly cheerful, even more so than usual.

"I thought you just said neither the elves nor Saphira would like that."

"Who said I was staying with you? No, I will stay at my own camp on the shore. There are too many new mushrooms for me to try and if I'm on the boat, then I'll miss them." Eragon rolled his eyes.

"Come on then. Try to keep up." he said as he mounted Saphira. They took off, and flew as fast as they could, but Angela was already at the shore when they landed. Eragon was not surprised.

"Shadeslayer!" Blodhgarm called as he came ashore. "What is she doing here?" He spat disgustedly.

"I have told you a thousand times, I am always where the next big thing will happen." Angela said sternly.

" _There is more going on here than meets the eye..._ "

" _I know Saphira, so be very careful what you say._ "

" _Are you saying that to me, or are you reminding yourself?_ " Eragon glared at her and growled quietly enough for Saphira to hear.

"Angela, I must ask you to stay away from us. The last time we crossed paths, you bode ill. If you recall, you brought a potion that was supposed to cure Hariam, but instead, it only made her illness worse!" Blodhgarm shouted.

"And I told you that that was a mistake! I used the wrong ingredient, and it had unfortunate side effects."

"It killed her!" Blodhgarm whipped out his sword and thrust it to her throat.

"Enough!" Eragon shouted, causing both of them to freeze. "Blodhgarm, remember your own words, the past is the past, and it cannot change! Angela, you need to give us space. We left Alagaesia to be left alone, not to be pestered by anyone!" His words were sharp, and both of them turned away, ashamed. " _If I had known I could do that to Angela, I would have done that ages ago._ " Saphira chuckled.

"I am sorry, Shadeslayer. I do not know what came over me. I should not have lost my temper." Blodhgarm said.

"Go back to the boat. I will meet you there, and then we shall discuss this." Blodhgarm bowed, and went back to where the boat had landed. "Angela, I wish to speak with you in private." He grabbed he by the arm and dragged her over to the cluster of trees nearby. "You've been doing this, haven't you?"

"If you're referring to the picking of mushrooms throughout the area, yes. The transformations to your appearance and attitudes, sadly no. I wish I was, but that is beyond even me. Not even with my husband and son could we do this, and they were both very powerful. You should know. You saw my son in action."

"If I did, then I never saw him."

"Oh, yes you did. It's a pity the Razac killed him. Poison. What a terrible way to go, and in the middle of nowhere too." Eragon's jaw dropped as a sudden realization hit him like a mountain.

"No, that can't be. That's impossible!"

"Yes, Brom was powerful indeed, but his father was still more powerful."

"But, that makes you my... my..."

"Grandmother, yes." Angela said with a soft smile.

...

 **Yes, Angela is Eragon's grandmother. I'm stealing this idea from my brother Ron, who hasn't posted another chapter for his fanfiction for a few months now. I figured he wouldn't mind, and even if he did, then whatever. We're brothers. Ah, well.**


	6. Family Roots

"That... that can't be... that's impossible!" Eragon stammered, slowly backing away from Angela.

"But it's true. I am your grandmother. Brom was my son, and the very same knuckle bones I used to tell your fortune are those of Brom's fallen dragon, Saphira. I used magic to enchant them, magic I learned from the riders." Angela held his hand, and for some reason, Eragon began to believe her. He calmed himself using Orimis's methods, and stared at her.

"It's so much to take in all at once." He slumped down next to a tree, not knowing what to do. She sat beside him, and slowly ran her fingers through his hair. Several times though, she stopped and felt the same spot. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"What is this?"

"What is what?" His hand shot to his head, and felt around where her hand was. Surely enough, a small lump was there, sprouting from his skull. "They must be another part of the transformation. Horns most likely."  
" _Eragon, are you okay? You have been gone for a while._ " Saphira's voice echoed in his head. She didn't sound worried, but her voice was different.

" _I'm fine, just give me a moment._ " He knew that wouldn't convince her, but she didn't press the issue. "So is this why you always seem to be 'where the action is'? You've been following me?"

"Yes, but I wasn't sure that we were related until just before the battle of Farthen Dur, and after that we never had the chance to talk, or it was just bad timing." They sat in silence for a moment until...

"What about my grandfather? What happened to him?" Angela didn't move.

"Solembum, why don't you go hunt for a while? I will call you back, so feel free to explore the area, try to find me some new mushrooms." Solembum padded off into the woods, leaving no trace with his steps. "Your grandfather was a very powerful man, highly skilled in magic. He wasn't a rider, but he might as well have been. Very few could rival him in skill, and none could contest with his knowledge of the ancient language. We had been working on a spell, the four of us, your grandfather, Brom, Saphira, and I. It was a spell similar to what may be affecting you now, but I cannot be certain. We were attempting to master the spell of shapeshifting. Up until a few days prior, we had only been successful with minor tests on mice. We had changed them into cats, rats, and even a dove once. We were also able to change them back, so we thought that we were ready to move on to the true test: a human. I volunteered, but your grandfather said that if anything happened to me, he would never forgive himself. Brom also tried, but he said that it would tear Saphira apart if anything happened to him. Leaving us with no choice, we tested the spell on him." Tears welled up in her eyes, and Eragon knew that it was hard to talk about.

"Why don't you just show me? It may be easier for you" She nodded, unable to speak, and he let her memories wash over him...

" _Are you ready?" Angela said. A young Brom stood nearby, ready to help, with Saphira behind him. Eragon watched through Angela's eyes, and he saw his grandfather. Black hair, green eyes, and a face that had many scars on it. But, behind the roughness and scars, Eragon saw a friendly smile, one that he would carry with him for the rest of his life._

" _I am." He sounded like Brom did: rough. Everything about him seemed like he had been through about all a man could handle, but he was gentle, and his voice was calm._

" _What shall we try first?" Brom asked, eager to test it._

" _Let's try a cat. We've had much success with transforming things into cats."_

" _Right, then let us begin." Angela said. They began the spell, but it siphoned their energy a lot faster than they thought it would. They tried to stop it, but they had already spent too much energy on it, and the spell was working it's magic. A blinding flash of light, and the spell ended._

" _Mom?" Brom was on the floor next to her, and Saphira was over him. His grandfather was not there, but instead, a cat lay in it's place. Angela smiled, the spell had worked. She reached out with her mind, like she had before, but his mind was different._

"Who are you? _" She heard._

" _Solembum, it's me. Don't you remember me.?"_

"I do not. Why am I here? _" He stood up on his hind legs, and transformed. They had created a werecat._

" _Solembum, it's me, Angela." The young boy before her looked just like he had before, but smaller._

" _I do not know you. I am sorry, but I don't. This place, however is very familiar, as is that young lad over there."  
"Dad? What happened?" Brom asked._

" _What did you call me?"_

" _No, this can't be... this can't be..." Brom cried._

Eragon opened his eyes, and stared at Angela, not knowing what to say. "His memory never came back, no matter what I tried. He never truly became his normal self. He liked me still, and I couldn't let him go." Heavy footsteps nearby told him Saphira was coming.

"Saphira..." Eragon tried to explain, but words failed him.

" _What happened?_ "

"Saphira, this is my grandmother." Eragon braced himself for the barage of questions, or the snide remarks. Neither came.

" _I thought you two smelled similar._ "

...

 **Okay, so I'm not to sure about this chapter. Let me know what you guys think.**


	7. Feuds and Fencing

**I am so sorry everyone! I lost interest in writing, and no new inspiration came to me. I am back though, so expect new chapters sooner than this one.**

...

"You knew?" Eragon couldn't believe it.

" _I had no idea. Grandmother, yes? I should have guessed you to be related, but I never thought that it would be this closely. You have, or rather, had similar scents._ " Saphira laid down, letting Angela lean on her leg.

"Had?" Angela asked. "Has his scent changed?"

" _Quite a bit. Ever since the transformation started, his scent has changed slowly._ "

"If I don't smell human anymore, what do I smell like now?"

" _A mix between human and dragon._ " Eragon was taken aback.

"Dragon? Why would I smell like that?"

"Perhaps that is what you are becoming." Angela suggested.

"Shadeslayer!" Blodhgarm came wandering over to them from between the trees. "Are you coming back soon? We should keep moving on." His eyes fell on Angela, and they narrowed. "Why is she still here?" he spat.

" _Eragon, he of all people should know._ " Saphira said.

" _I do not like it, but I agree. I will come with you though, even if he doesn't approve._ " Angela said, causing Eragon to sigh.

"Blodhgarm, she is here because I will not my grandmother be left alone here, exposed to the dangers of the unknown."

"Grandmother? Her? No, no, no!" Blodhgarm turned away, clenching his fists in anger. "I will not allow this! Even if I have to tie her up and send her back on a piece of driftwood! I refuse to let her stay!" he shouted.

"That is not your desicion!" Eragon shouted. "I don't care what has happened between you, but you need to remember your own words! 'Do not dwell on the past, for that cannot change', do you remember telling me that? Whatever feud you have with her, you have with me as well. She will come." Blodhgarm stood still and silent.

"And you are certain of this?"

"More certain than if the sun will rise, more certain that the crops will grow in spring, more certain than if there is water in the sea, more certain than if time will pass."

"I see." Blodhgarm walked off, head slightly hung, with a somber air around him.

"Eragon." He turned to see Angela next to him. "You should know what happened. He does have a reason to hate me."

"I don't care. I won't abandon you."

"Eragon, he hates me because I couldn't save his love." Eragon sat down, realizing that it was inevitable to try to avoid this conflict again, and that knowing more about it would help. Angela sat next to him, and began telling him what happened.

"It was forty years ago, almost to the day. His love was sick with a fever, worse than anything I had ever seen. I had to whip up a potion to help, but I was running out of time, and she wouldn't last more than an hour. I rushed through it, and made it anyways, bringing it to her only a few minutes before I had predicted her death. I quickly gave it to her, and I thought she was getting better, but she died, in his arms. He blamed me for her death, but I realized that she was dead even before I had gotten there. He's hated me ever since."

" _Did you try explaining it to him?_ "

"I tried, but he drew his sword and chased me out of Ellesmera." She chuckled. "Come, we should get back to the _Talita_."

"How did you..." Eragon started, before realizing the answer. "Right, it's painted on the side." A low rumble filled the air as Saphira chuckled, causing Eragon to blush slightly as he mounted her. He held out his hand to Angela, pulling her onto Saphira's saddle. With a mighty roar, Saphira took flight soaring just above the treeline.

...

As Saphira approached the deck of the ship, Eragon saw Blodhgarm standing at the far railing, gazing over the water. Before Saphira even landed, he slid off, walking over to Blodhgarm. "I know why you hate her. She told me what happened." Blodhgarm sighed, not turning to face Eragon. "Come, I have not sparred since just after we left, and my arms are growing weak. I will try not to beat you too badly." Eragon smirked, knowing that Blodhgarm couldn't resist a challenge.

"You remember last time, don't you? You will look good with bruises covering you again." Blodhgarm said, drawing his sword as he turned around. Blodhgarm's sword was long and thin, designed for speed and accuracy over power. It was better for attacking, rather than defending.

"Then take your place." Eragon said, moving to one side of the boat, drawing Brsingr. Eragon's eyes locked onto Blodhgarm, watching the elf intensely. With unspoken agreement, they both rushed forwards, locking swords. Eragon broke the blow, spinning off to the side, letting Blodhgarm fall past. Blodhgarm, however, was quick, recovering and facing back at Eragon. With a quick lunge, Blodhgarm battered at Eragon's defenses, pushing him back with rapid blows. Eragon saw his opportunity, and struck back with a powerful downwards blow, forcing Blodhgarm to take a more defensive stance.

"You are slow still. I have been training every day since we left, yet you have not. I think that the winner shall be clear in only a moment." Blodhgarm smirked as he went for a left side blow, then feinting, and changing to a curved lunge. Eragon leapt backwards, doing a flip in the air, and landed on his feet. A heat surged up his throat from his lungs. Eragon opened his mouth, and a burst of black fire shot out, singeing Blodhgarm's cloak. None of the elves moved, not even Saphira blinked.

"Eragon? What has happened to you?" Blodhgarm asked.

...

 **Cliffhanger, yes. Apologies again for not posting sooner. I will try to post more often.**


	8. Solitude

"What happened to you?" Blodhgarm asked. Eragon turned away, ashamed. It was just like when he wanted to tell Arya about his feelings for her, except the consequences of this were more than just a pair of broken hearts. He weighed his options, and sighed.

"I..." He began, but no words came to him.

"Eragon. Face me. Now." Blodhgarm commanded. Saphira tensed, but did not move. Eragon turned to face Blodhgarm, only to find a sword pointed at his throat. "What is going on? What have you been doing to yourself? I demand answers now!"

A loud growl filled the air, causing the elves to draw swords and face Saphira, but she was staring at Eragon. "I have told you. You merely have not seen. I came to you first, and this is how you treat me? Like some child that needs scolding? I am transforming, yes, but not by my own will. I have grown much in the time since we left Alegeseia. I know not what changes me, but I cannot stop this, and even if I could, I would not. If it were to happen to anyone else, I might have the same reaction, but this is happening to me. If you have a problem with what is happening, then you can deal with it."

" _Eragon._ " Saphira was quiet, almost scared.

"Leave me be." Eragon said, jumping over the side of the boat, and swimming to shore. He walked out of sight of the boat, behind the treeline. He felt concern through his bond this Saphira, but he cut her off, wanting to be completely alone. He slouched down next to a tree, and sighed. He couldn't go back, even though he wanted to.

A small pool of water was nearby, and he went over to it, intending on scrying Roran and telling him what had been going on, but gasped at the sight of himself. His once blond hair was now black with white tips, his teeth were jagged, and his ears were smaller. He summoned forth the water a bit further, and looked at his reflection in full.

His face was not the only thing that was changing. His skin had the same black hue his hair had, but only underneath. Some parts though, were starting to poke through. His shoulders were rough, and the sleeves had started to tear. On his back, just above his shoulder blades, two protrusions emerged, causing his shirt to be almost unnecessary. He stripped down to almost nothing, and looked at his new self. His feet were warping, his toes becoming longer, and his legs shorter. His thumbs had started to move up his arms, which were also becoming shorter.

...

"Saphira, did you know of this?" Blodhgarm asked her.

" _I did. But if you intend to blame me, then you are going to be making a grave mistake._ " She snapped. The elves had not stopped talking ever since Eragon had left. She had tried talking to him, but he cut her off. She understood why, but had the feeling that something bad would happen.

"Saphira? Are you okay?" Angela asked. "You look concerned."

" _I fear for Eragon's safety. He has cut me off again. If we were in Alegeseia I would be less worried. But with where we are and what has been happening recently, I am scared. I know not what is out here, and that frightens me._ " Angela grabbed her staff and moved towards Saphira.

"Then let's get going." she said with a smile. "Why wait when he needs us?"

" _No. This is something I must do alone. Eragon needs me, whether he wants me or not. I will not abandon him in his hour of need._ " Saphira said, taking flight. " _I will not return until I have Eragon, human or not._ " Saphira's gut told her that it probably would be 'not'.

...

Eragon heard flapping overhead, and looked up to see Saphira flying by. He heard her roar, calling out his name, but he did not answer back. He couldn't feel her presence, nor did he want to. He was hurt, and he wanted to be alone, but still loved that she had come for him. He debated whether or not to let his presence be known, when he heard her roaring again in the distance. This time, however, it caught his attention. It was not one of concern, like the last one. This was one of fear, utter terror. Eragon stood quickly, and ran off towards where he had last seen her going. He came to a cliff, and below him in a clearing he saw Saphira, pinned to the ground, but what had her pinned down struck sheer horror into his heart.

Five Razac swarmed around her, with two Letherblaka nearby.

...

 **And so, the Razac appear. It's time to finally get to the fun parts of the story. I hope you're all ready for an exciting story, because from here, it gets interesting.**


	9. Bloodlust

**It was pointed out that an angry Eragon is not good for ones health. No. No, it really isn't, especially if you are a Ra'zac. This chapter will have a bit of blood and gore, you have been warned.**

...

Saphira was terrified, her vision was fading, and her roar echoed in the distance, unheard by any close enough to help. This was it, the end of her life. All faded to black as a tremendous, thundering roar shook the earth.

...

Eragon was beyond furious now. He was beyond hating them. He was beyond wanting them dead. He wanted to crush their skulls with his bare hands, break their spines with his legs, and crack them open like eggs to let their blood flow out. He bellowed, leaping into the clearing. The Ra'zac turned to face him, snarling at the abomination before them. Eragon drew Brsingr, and threw it at the nearest Ra'zac with such force, it cleaved the Ra'zac in half, green blood splattering the ground. With another roar, he ran towards Saphira, charging directly at the Ra'zac, weaponless. The tallest Ra'zac stood atop Saphira's body, pointing at Eragon with his blade, hissing. The other three Ra'zac ran towards Eragon, quickly closing the gap. Eragon punched the first one underneath it's beak, launching it into the air while snapping it's neck. The Lethrblaka were walking over too, stabbing out with their beaks at the thing that was killing them. The second Ra'zac swiftly brought it's blades about, slicing downwards. Eragon brought his arm up, and the blade bounced harmlessly away, pulling skin off, revealing hard, black scales underneath. "What is it?" The second asked.

"I am death." Eragon snarled, clenching his fists as the third one stabbed at him. Eragon grabbed the blade with his hands, claws sprouting from the tips of his fingers. Eragon turned his head to look at the Ra'zac, and the spark in his eye returned as a raging inferno. With his free hand, he grabbed the face of the Ra'zac, throwing him over his shoulder, only to slam it into the ground, headfirst, forcing it's spine to snap. The fourth Ra'zac stood back a fair distance, throwing blades rapidly at their scaled opponent. Eragon turned back, facing all the Ra'zac, and both the Lethrblaka. He walked toward them, becoming more deformed with every step. His shirt tore, and revealed a dark gray stomach as he hunched over. A few steps later, Eragon was on all fours, but was growing larger, skin and clothing tearing off, replaced by black scales. A long tail erupted from the base of his spine, and large, leathery wings sprouted from his back. His neck elongated, and, finally finished, roared with triumph, as the human-turned-dragon looked down on his prey.

"What is this new devilry?" The tall Ra'zac said, crawling down from his place atop Saphira.

" _I AM YOUR NIGHTMARE! I AM DEATH!_ " Eragon shouted with his mind, roaring as he did. He leapt a short distance, planting one of his large paws on a Ra'zac, squishing it like a bug. The Lethrblaka took flight, fearing what they had seen, leaving the Ra'zac alone. Eragon turned his gaze to the two remaining Ra'zac, who were both backing away. Eragon, in his rage, wouldn't allow that. He leapt through the air once more, spreading his wings for extra distance, and clamped his jaws down on one of them, leaving only the tallest one alive. While Eragon was crunching down on one, the other escaped into the woods, fearing the beast behind it. Eragon looked around, seeing his fallen foes, and roared in triumph. Finally coming down from his adrenaline-filled battle rage, he turned his gaze towards Saphira, who was thankfully breathing. Then the fear came back, the fear that she wouldn't recognize him, and that she would attack him. He shuffled his way into the woods, making sure to keep an eye on her.

...

A monstrous roar shook the ground, the water, and the boat. All the elves drew their weapons as the boat rocked on the water, tempting to capsize in the waves. Angela stood at the back, slightly terrified as a second roar shook them again. "What is Saphira doing?" One of the elves shouted.

"That wasn't Saphira." Angela muttered.

...

Saphira was in pain, which told her she wasn't dead, but, where was she? She forced her eyes open, and lifted her head slightly. She looked around, saw a body fall from the sky, smashing into the ground nearby. _Ra'zac!_ She thought, looking up, but saw nothing but the stars.

" _Saphira..._ "

" _Eragon! Where are you? There are Ra'zac here, and Lethrblaka, and..._ "

" _I know. They're dead. I killed them._ " Eragon sent her a picture of him throwing his sword at the first Ra'zac, and she felt pride emanate from him.

" _Where are you? I don't see you._ " Eragon was silent for a few moments.

" _I hid. I am not the Eragon you know anymore. I have become... different._ "

" _Different? Eragon, please, don't hide from me. You know that I don't care what you look like, as long as you are still my Eragon._ " She heard loud footsteps, and she turned towards the woods, wide-eyed. A large dragon plodded it's way into the clearing. It was larger than her, but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was it's eyes. They looked so familiar, but she couldn't place them.

" _Well? Are you going to say something?_ " Eragon asked.

...

 **And we finally have dragon Eragon. I hope I described the battle adequately.**


	10. Spellcasting

Saphira stared as a dragon came lumbering out of the woods to where she lay on the ground. The new dragon was larger than her, but not by much. It was black as smoke, except for the tips of his horns, his tail, his wings, and his claws, which were all pure white. It was muscular, and thick, but had a gentle air around him. " _Eragon? It can't be._ "

" _Saphira, it is. I am Eragon. I can prove it._ " The dragon moved forward, but Saphira moved back as she stood. " _Saphira, please. You must trust me. I am the Eragon you once knew. I..._ " Eragon swayed for a moment, before flopping onto the ground.

" _Eragon?_ " Saphira stared at the body before her. It was breathing, but it was a steady, slow breathing. She prodded the dragon before her, then looked around. The bodies and blood of Razac covered the ground, spreading in one direction. A pair of objects stood out from the carnage though: Eragon's sword, Brsingr, and his tunic. She walked over, and sniffed them both, and found his scent them. She followed them as she would have tracked blood, weaving in and out of the woods several times before running into the dragon once more. She blinked, and stared at the dragon, who had the scent of her missing rider all over him. Unsure of what to think, she sat down, waiting for him to wake.

...

Eragon jolted awake, and put his hand on his head. _Hand..._ Eragon looked at his hand. Pink, fleshy, and human. He looked around, and saw nothing but sky above and below him. "Hello?" Eragon called, but heard nothing. He stood, and took a step, footstep echoing off of everything, and nothing, quickly fading back to silence.

"Hello." a deep voice said. Eragon whipped around, seeing nothing.

"Hello? Who's there?" Eragon shouted.

"I am. I am Falkem. I am the one whom you seek." Eragon slowly spun around, looking for the source of the voice. "You are skeptical. I assure you, I know what is happening, or rather, has happened to you. It was my doing. I was once a great spellcaster, before Galbatorix took control. When he found out about my ability to transform living beings into other forms, especially dragons, he wanted me to serve him. I was beaten, tortured, and eventually, executed for not serving him. In my solitude, however, I cast a spell upon the king without him knowing, one that would cast when he died. The one who killed him would be granted a great reward, my greatest spell. I imbued all my energy into it, my very being channeling what I could muster from those around me. As I died, I knew that I had succeeded. The spell was to transform the one who killed the king into a dragon. I had perfected the spell, but I modified it slightly, to give you not only the body, but the instinct, mind, and heart of a true dragon. Your form, however, is your doing. I merely took your wishes and made them a reality."

"But I was human! I was happy!" Eragon pleaded.

"You wish to be human again?! You know not what you are saying! I have bestowed upon you the greatest gift I could grant to anyone, and yet you wish to not have it? Have I made a mistake?"

"No..."

"Then do not judge before you have seen through your new eyes. Yes, this was thrust upon you, rather than given willingly, but this was my dying gift. I wish for you to wait. If you truly wish to not have this form, I can have one of the Elduari change you back with a spell, but to change you back would be permanent. Think upon this. We will talk again."

"Wait!" Eragon called as a blinding light flashed into his eyes.

...

Eragon slowly opened his eyes, and saw several beams of light filtering through the leaves of the trees. _Morning. How long have I been out?_ Eragon thought. He slowly lifted his head, and saw Saphira sitting in the clearing. " _Saphira? Please, don't shut me out. I'm sorry._ " Saphira turned to him, and ran over to him, catching him in her mouth by his neck, startling him.

" _Who are you and what have you done with my Eragon?_ " She glared at him.

" _I am Eragon! I swear!_ "

" _Then swear it in the ancient language!_ " Eragon switched to that.

" _I am Eragon, I swear it._ " Saphira loosened her grip, but did not let go, still skeptical.

" _If you truly are him, what happened to you? I saw your sword and tunic with the Razac, but found no body._ " Eragon let his memories flood her mind, showing her everything, from when she flew overhead to him slicing the Razac, from him breaking one's neck, to him eventually allowing magic to transform him. He kept his conversation with Falkem to himself, but that was enough for Saphira to relent, and release him. He turned his neck to see her staring at him.

" _What?_ "

" _You're larger than me. Not by much, but you are._ "

" _Interesting._ "

" _You seem to have very good control over your body already, and yet you only just changed. How is that?_ "

" _I suppose being a rider helps when you have a dragon like you as a friend. That, plus, I left some out of what I showed you._ "

" _What?_ "

" _When Galbatorix took control, there was a man named Falkem. He was a spellcaster of great power, having mastered the long-lost ability to transform people into other forms. Galbatorix found him, tortured him, and executed him when he refused to serve. Falkem, however, cast a spell on Galbatorix: whoever killed him would become a dragon in mind, body, and heart. That's why I have instincts like that of a dragon._ " They stood in silence for a few moments, until...

" _Saphira, I'm hungry._ "


	11. Adaption

**I am so glad that you have shown so much support for my stories! I always look forward to seeing reviews for this story, especially since they are always so supportive. You have given me ideas and suggestions that I have taken inspiration from. Thanks again!**

...

" _What?_ " Saphira asked.

" _I'm hungry. Very hungry._ " Saphira chuckled. " _What?_ "

" _Would you like me to hunt for you, or can you walk to your prey on your own?_ " Eragon glared at her, and flexed his wings.

" _I should have the instincts. It's just a matter of doing it. I hope._ " Eragon looked to the sky, and felt uneasy on his feet. " _Um... would you mind going first? I don't think I can do this._ " Saphira rolled her eyes, and took off.

" _I though you had the instincts of a dragon. You should know how to do this._ " Saphira mocked. Eragon glared at her again, causing her to laugh again. " _You're thinking too much. Just push off with you front legs first, then you back, and instinct should take over._ "

" _Sometimes I hate your logic, no matter how much sense it makes._ " Eragon crouched down, and did as he was told, spreading his wings. He beat them rapidly, pushing down hard.

" _What's the matter? Instinct not helping?_ " Eragon roared, and pushed harder, soaring higher and higher above the trees. Eragon stared at her, she was slowly flying away. With a final push, he caught up to her, and nudged her side.

" _Maybe instinct needed a bit of help._ " Saphira laughed again. Eragon listened to her, smiling. " _So, where are we going?_ "  
" _Use your nose. Which way is the food? Or does your instinct need help with that too?_ " Saphira asked, but was left behind when Eragon dove suddenly, disappearing below the treeline. Saphira stopped looking down, wondering what happened. Eragon burst from the branches a few yards away, with a large stag in his claws. " _I was wondering what you were doing._ "

" _You said to follow my nose, and my nose said that they were below us. So, I have my lunch. What about you, now that the herd has scattered?_ "

" _I think I shall go fishing in the river. Maybe explain what happened to you._ "

" _Wait. Not yet. I will tell them myself once I get used to this form._ " Saphira snorted, and dove below the trees. " _I will find a nice place to eat. Care to meet me?_ "

" _No. You come to me. I found the perfect spot._ " She showed him a tranquil clearing in the woods. Eragon turned around, and dove below the trees, and into the glade. Eragon landed smoothly, and devoured his lunch, meat, skin, bones, and all. Saphira watched as she ate her own meal. Soon, both of them were covered in blood, and needed to be cleaned. " _There's a river nearby here. Let's go get cleaned off, then we'll see just how much you know about controlling your new body._ "

...

Eragon loved flying. He was faster than Saphira, letting instinct take over, he race past her. " _You are doing well. Now, defend yourself!_ " Eragon turned around in time to see Saphira collide with his side.

" _No fair!_ " Saphira laughed again, and Eragon flew higher, towards the sun. He circled around, behind a cloud, and flew through. Saphira followed, but lost him in the shadows. Eragon seized the opportunity to attack from above, and grabbed her wings. Saphira whipped her head around, and spewed fire at him. Eragon merely brushed it off, and breathed fire back at her. The two of them began to tumble down, out of the cloud. Eragon looked below, and saw a river. He pinned her wings down, not letting her go, and the two plummeted downwards, spiraling in the air around each other. At the last moment, Eragon let go, pushing off, watching Saphira splash into the river. After a few seconds, Saphira's head resurfaced, and she looked up at Eragon, who had circled back around to hover over her. " _I think this round goes to me._ "

" _I let you win._ " Saphira said, splashing water at Eragon with her tail.

" _Did not! I saw how confused you were when I went into the cloud!_ "

" _Then, yes. But I could have easily broken your lock on my wings. It was very sloppy._ " Eragon rolled his eyes and dove in after her. He opened his eyes underwater, amazed at how far he could see. " _Incredible. Do we always see like this?_ "

" _Yes. And you may have to explain to the elves sooner than you would like._ "

" _What do you mean?_ " Eragon asked, surfacing.

"Saphira! Who is this?" Eragon turned around to see the elves standing at the bow of the ship, only a few yards away.


	12. Dragon Talk

**So, I will be updating more often now that I have finished the first two parts of my trilogy (World's Collide and Stargate Omega). Also, I must go on a rant, and please don't skip it. This is for all you readers out there who have been reading my stories:**

 **You rock. You rock. You have given me something to look forward to every day. I always wonder "How many more views did I get today?" or "Did someone leave a new review?" And that keeps me writing. I write to see you enjoy my story, and to see that I'm making an impact on so many people is amazing. Once more I say thank you. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed, all who have followed and favorited, all those who merely read. For an author like me, that means a lot. I didn't expect to get more than a few views on my first story, and you blew it out of the water with a whopping 4500 views by the end! That was forty chapters though. This one is only eleven, and it already has six thousand views. I am blown away. Once again, thank you so much.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, my faithful readers.**

...

Eragon was a bit scared, but then remembered: _I'm a freaking dragon. I don't care what they think, they didn't choose this for me, I did. Well, in a manner of speaking._ " _Blodhgarm, it is I, Eragon. I am the dragon._ "

"Ah, so you are a male. Eragon, you claim? Impossible. There no magic known to the world that can change man into beast, let alone dragon."

" _He speaks the truth! This is Eragon Bromsson of Carvahall, my rider._ " Saphira said, swimming over to Eragon's side.

" _She's right. Search our memories and see for yourself. We are even speaking in the ancient language, a tongue you cannot lie in. Are these things not proof enough?_ " Blodhgarm was silent, but kept his bow trained on Eragon.

"Then how? How did this happen?" Eragon showed him his talk with Falkem, and only then, did Blodhgarm lower his bow, however reluctantly. "That name... it sounds familiar."

" _Glaedr should know of this as well. Please tell him, and Angela too._ " Blodhgarm nodded, and sent two elves to relay the messages. Swimming to shore, Eragon spread his wings to let them dry in the sunlight. As he sat there, Angela walked up next to him.

"So, you have become a dragon completely. I must say, you are quite dashing, despite being a dark color. I have always fancied the brighter dragons, such as Saphira's blue, or Thorn's red. They are so beautiful in the sunlight, but you seem to be no different. Tell me, was it painful, becoming a dragon?"  
" _If it was, I do not remember it. I was too busy killing the Ra'zac._ "

"Ra'zac? Out here? Where did they come from, and why are they out here?"

" _Perhaps the Ra'zac came here first, then to Alegeseia. They may have found other sources of food here, and created homes out here. There were two lethrblaka as well, so there may be more. Either way, keep on your guard, otherwise they may get the drop on you._ " At that moment, Glaedr was brought over by one of the elves, who left as soon as he could. " _Ah, you are finally here. Have they informed you of what has happened?_ "

" _They have,_ " Glaedr rumbled. " _but I wish to hear it from you. Tell me all you know about this Falkem person._ "

" _He's powerful, but he's dead. Somehow, he talked to me from beyond the grave, and told me this. He told me that he lived when Galbatorix took over, but was killed when he refused to use his magic for him. That's all that he told me about himself, he mostly talked about the spell he used, but he never told me what it was. He said that if I truly did not want to remain a dragon, he could give you the spell to change me back. If you could change me back to human, couldn't you also change me back to dragon as well?_ "

" _I'd doubt it. It would take years of studying the spell to know exactly what each word did, and then another few years to figure out how to modify it. I have talked with the other Eldunari about Falkem, and our collective knowledge has been most enlightening. Falkem was a human, which is surprising, considering how powerful he was. He was one of the few people who could have stood up to the riders, but, thankfully, didn't. Instead, he befriended them, and chose to willingly assist them when they needed him. He himself was not a rider, but was the most well versed in the ancient language, possibly ever, and could speak it fluently in conversations and spells. None of the Eldunari had any knowledge of the power to transform people into other creature, but they all knew about his execution. The whole world knew about that. Even the dwarves were saddened when he was killed._ " There was silence for a few moments, as Eragon took in all the information. " _What does Saphira think about this? It must be hard, to have her rider still live, but no longer be one._ "

"Actually... if I may?" Angela piped up. "I couldn't help but listen in..." Eragon rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, I know, how typical of me, but really. I don't think that anything with their bond has changed, only Eragon's form."

" _Except I was changed in body, mind, and heart. I am no longer Eragon the human. I am Eragon the dragon, and therefore, my true name has most likely changed as well, meaning that anything with my bond with Saphira may have been changed. I do hope that our bond hasn't changed too much, but it would still be strange to be bonded in the same way. I can't imagine what would be going through Saphira's mind right now._ " Eragon looked around. " _Where is Saphira anyways? She was next to me in the water, did she not come ashore?_ " Eragon reached out with his mind, but couldn't find her nearby. Growing worried, he stood up.

"What is it?" Angela asked.

" _She's not nearby. Last time I left her on her own, she was attacked by the Ra'zac._ "

" _This is indeed troubling. I will tell the elves to search for her. Angela, please return me to the Tatalia._ "

"My pleasure." She said, picking up the bag Glaedr was in, and hefting it over her shoulder. Eragon took flight, and looked over the vast expanse around him. Tall trees sprung up from the forest nearby, and beyond that was a small plain at the base of a great mountain range. The river wound it's way to the base of the mountain, where it vanished from sight. Behind him, the river trailed back through the forest, coming out, to the vast plain they had crossed a few days before. Not knowing what to do, Eragon roared as loudly as he could, and waited for a response. A few moments later, a roar responded, lifting Eragon's spirits, and he took off toward the mountains.


	13. Torn Inside

**Okay, so some people still think the Ra'zac are dead. Remember: I had one and both the Lethrblaka get away. They will show up later, but not for a few chapters. Right now, our favorite dragons have other problems...**

...

Eragon was happy that he had found where she went, but was still worried. He reached out with his mind, but couldn't find her. Determined, he took off towards the mountains, which seemed far away. After a few hours of flying, he hovered near the base of them, as the sun began to set behind him. He roared again, hoping to find her. Again, she responded with a roar, and was closer this time, and so, again, Eragon reached out in all directions. It wasn't long before he found her, perched on a flat, grassy mountaintop. Her bright, blue scales glittered in the evening night, shining like a thousand stars." _There you are! We were worried! Is something wrong? Why did you leave without saying where you were going?_ " Eragon asked as he landed next to her.

" _I was overhead when I vaguely heard what Glaedr had said about our bond being different. I was worried about what you would say, so I flew here. I know you're going to call me childish, but it feels right here._ " Saphira said, looking out over everything. " _I feel like this is where I belong. Not just here, on the mountain, but by your side. I don't want to leave you again._ " She moved slightly closer to him. " _I don't want you to leave me either._ "

" _Saphira, you know how I feel. I may have changed in form, but we are still one in heart and in mind. I may no longer be your Rider, but I am still your family. I have been wondering, how are you? You seem to be holding up well, but I've known you to hold feelings back from me. Tell me what's on your mind. I want to help you in any way that I possibly can._ "  
" _I have been trying to figure that out myself. I have been torn between two feelings, both fighting for dominance. The first is hatred. It feels like you've been separated from me forever. Always, you were my rider, my bumbling, little human who always made mistakes._ "  
" _Hey!_ " Saphira chuckled, and Eragon turned away, looking at the mountains. The deep valleys had streams trickling through them that were home to hundreds of creatures, from the smallest fish to the largest bear. The hard, blue, rugged mountainside would soon be teeming with all kinds of unknown nocturnal predators, seeking food for themselves and their packs. Rock outcroppings created small caves where wolves and other things were hiding. The darkening sky above was clear, but filled with the sounds of creatures around them, echoing up from the heart of the mountains. The whole world seemed so small from where he was, perched next to Saphira, on a mountaintop, gazing over trees, plains, rivers, and even to the edge of a vast sea to the south.

" _It's true, though. You were always there for me, no matter what. You would fall asleep on me, and wake me up at first light. You would need me to come rescue you when you got in too much trouble. You would keep me from getting too drunk when we would visit the dwarves. I would look forward to you riding with me, to feeling your pure joy when flying on my back. Every day, you would find something new, and fixate yourself on it with childlike wonder. Now, you can fly yourself, and it's made me feel almost useless. I feel like a mother, and the youngling I once cared for is now able to care for himself, and no longer needs me to help. I feel use, pushed away almost. I hate it with all my being. I don't want you to leave me, no matter what. I loved caring for you, keeping you safe, helping you when you would go poking around where you shouldn't have. Like a youngling, you would always rely on me to keep you safe. Now, I feel like the youngling, and it frightens me. I feel unsafe, and it scares me. I was always the biggest and the strongest in Alegeseia, but out here, I am weak._ "

" _Saphira, you are never weak. You are far stronger than I am, especially considering I have been a dragon for only a day, while you have always been one. I may be a dragon now, but I am still your youngling!_ " Eragon laughed. " _Who says that just because I'm a dragon I'll keep out of trouble? I undoubtedly will need you more when I go poking my much larger nose in things I shouldn't!_ " This caused Saphira to laugh as well. " _Just because I can save you now, doesn't mean that I won't need you still. There will be times where you will need me, and times where I will need you. I have always needed you nearby, and still do, now more than ever. With so many unknown dangers out here, we will need to be on our guard at all times. And so what that I'm not human? I am still your Eragon. Sure, I won't ride with you anymore, but now I can fly with you, by your side. I feel like that will be even better._ " Saphira sighed, and shifted a bit closer. " _I can't possibly imagine what you could be going through, and if it was the other way around, and you became human, I couldn't even begin to fathom what I might do. Knowing, me, it probably wouldn't be pretty, and you would have to save me yet again._ "

" _Hate is only one of the two things I'm feeling, though, and it's losing ground. I have always felt the other, but just didn't know it. It's become so clear now, and I can't deny it. It's overwhelming, and was so unnatural, but it makes sense._ " Saphira turned away, toward the sunset.

" _Saphira? Please tell me. I want to help you._ " Eragon moved to sit beside her again, and she turned to look him in the eye.

" _Do you remember how you first felt when you saw Arya? You though she was beautiful, and fell in love. I was jealous, jealous because you had someone to love, and you could tell her without fear. Now I have someone. And it's truly undeniable._ "

" _Saphira? Are you saying what I think you're saying?_ " Eragon asked, not wanting to break her deep, unwavering gaze, but staring back at her, knowing exactly what she was about to say, and feeling both scared and happy.

" _Eragon, I love you._ "

...

 **Okay... I couldn't help it. I hope that I didn't bore you too much with this one, but this is my first shot at an actual love scene. Any input is going to be useful. Also, check out my brand new Youtube channel at channel/UCW7WShZSWsUYZsyJzk5bU5A!**


	14. Youngling

**Just so you know, until I get a few more videos on my channel, I will continue to advertize here. Go check out my channel, GA Gamer: htt / channel/UCW7WShZSWsUYZsyJzk5bU5A**

 **Also, thanks again for the amazing amount of views I've been getting. I can't believe I've nearly hit 7000 already.**

...

" _Eragon, I love you._ " Eragon was speechless. He knew what she would say, and still couldn't believe she had said it. Finally regaining his courage, he spoke back.

" _I know. I love you too._ " Eragon lifted his wing, and she snuggled up close to his side. An audible sigh was heard as Saphira became quite comfy next to the larger dragon. Eragon held his head high, beyond pleased with what he had said. " _I have felt this as well. I had no idea that it was this deep of a connection, but this makes sense._ "

" _How so?_ "

" _Well, our bond has always been strong, the only thing keeping us from this being that I was human. I had always known that you were more than just family, but I was never truly sure what. What you said is true: this feels right. It feels like everything is falling into place. I don't know how the elves are going to react, because they think it all seems very unnatural still, but I don't care. This, our love, is our choice, not theirs. I may not have chosen to become a dragon, but I do not regret choosing to stay one._ " Saphira didn't respond, but snuggled closer to him. Eragon smiled, and gazed into the distance until the stars hung overhead. The moon shone brightly, and Eragon fell asleep next to Saphira, once his partner, now his love.

...

Eragon awoke to a cool, gentle breeze blowing across him. He didn't want to move. He was in paradise. Safe, free, and a dragon, on a mountaintop, with Saphira, the most beautiful dragoness in the world, and she was asleep next to him. Opening his eyes, he scanned the horizon, looking for anything at all. A small speck in the distance caught his eye, and he watched it for a few moments. Suddenly, he realized it followed the river, and he knew it was the _Tatalia_. He sat up, and opened his mind to it, barely reaching it over the many miles between them. He found a mind that he had grown familiar with in the past few days, and widened the connection. " _Good morning, Angela. How did you sleep?_ "  
" _Eragon! Where are you? Did you find Saphira? Is she okay? What happened? Tell me everything!_ " Angela practically shouted over the mental link.

" _We're fine! We're fine. We've found a mountain nearby that I think would serve as an excellent home for us. It serves as a natural boundary against nature, and this particular mountain has a wonderful view from the top._ " He briefly paused to send her a picture of what he saw. " _If Blodhgarm isn't being to irritable, please tell him to meet us here._ "  
" _Saphira's there? Why didn't you tell us? We were worried sick!_ "  
" _That, my dear grandmother, I will let her tell, but only once you get here._ " He felt a bit of anger through the link, and laughed. " _Please hurry though, I do not want to wait too long for you, otherwise I may have to come and grab you with my claws._ "  
" _You know I wouldn't object to that._ " Eragon closed the link, and turned to Saphira, who was still asleep under his wing. Finally deciding to dare standing up, he stretched himself like a cat, stretching even his wings. He quickly took of silently, and dove deep into the valleys to hunt. As he suspected, they were teeming with life, from large lizards that seemed to float like logs in the river, to birds with long beaks and legs standing in the shallows. Giant bears prowled just in the shadows, and other, stranger, beasts crawled, hopped, walked, ran, swam, glided, and flew through the deep gorge. Finally, a herd of deer presented itself to Eragon, but before he could make his move, an orange blur swept down and past him. Eragon stopped, wondering what it was. As he watched, the blur became clear, and Eragon was awestruck.

The dragon was very small, no larger than Saphira was when she was only a few months old, but it was fast, and knew how to hunt well, as it picked one of the largest bucks from the herd, and held it fast, but wavered. It's left wing was torn, and red blood seeped out, and the dragon fell to the ground in pain. A giant boar with six tusks poked it's head out of the woods, and the dragon's eyes grew wide. Eragon bolted down, straight towards the youngling. The boar was charging, and the orange dragon tried to stand, but couldn't find the strength to. Eragon stretched his claws in front of him, and snatched the dragon just before the boar hit it. Eragon spun around, rising high into the air. " _You're safe. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you._ " Eragon said to the small dragon peering up at him. Eragon saw just how small he was compared to himself, fitting his entire body, minus the neck and tail, in only one of Eragon's massive paws. " _I know someone who can help you. Until then, I will take you somewhere safe._ " The dragon said nothing, staring at him.

...

" _Saphira!_ " Eragon called, not caring if she was awake or not. Her head poked over the side, slightly tilted. She was above him, and couldn't see the orange youngling he had with him.

" _I was wondering where you were. I assume you have food?_ "

" _No, I have something else._ " Eragon gently set the small dragon down on the rocks, and it crawled out from under Eragon, peering up at Saphira.

" _Oh my._ " Saphira said.

" _Who are you? Why did you save me?_ " The young dragon's voice was high, but lower than Saphira's, like one of the young lads from Carvahall.

" _Because you were in trouble, and I couldn't let you die. Please, tell me your name._ "  
" _My... my name?_ " The youngling blinked, and Eragon moved over to Saphira's side, laying down beside her.

" _You do have a name, don't you?_ " Eragon asked.

" _No. I was never given one. I'm the only one here, so I've never needed one._ "

" _Where are your parents? What happened?_ " Saphira asked.

" _They're gone. I never met my mommy and daddy. They died before I hatched._ "

" _How?_ " Eragon asked.  
" _They were killed by the nightprowlers. That's why I hunt in the day. But the other day, they came out, and left the mountains in great numbers, but only one came back with the blackhoods._ "  
" _How long ago?_ " asked Saphira.

" _Yesterday. About midday. I heard a great ruckus from the forest that day too. I wonder what happened..._ " The youngling shifted his weight. " _Do you know?_ "  
" _Where we come from, we call those creatures the Ra'zac._ " Eragon said.


	15. Blaze

**So many questions, so little time. Have patience, for I will answer with another chapter.**

...

The sun rose quickly, bathing the deep valleys in warm light. For a certain herd of deer, however, this was not another one of their quiet, tranquil mornings. A giant, black beast prowled from above, picking them off one by one. " _Dumb creatures. You should have learned to stay in the safety of the mist. That would have hidden your scent, not the river._ " Eragon thought. He needed so much food for himself, and the youngling. Saphira was with the small dragon, and would leave when he got back, so he had to eat his fill and bring back some extra. This was the extra he needed. Having snatched the last of the deer, he turned back to the mountain.

" _And how was your hunt? Eventful?_ " Saphira asked as he approached the top.

" _You would think that deer would have learned by now that they cannot outrun a dragon, but should rather outmaneuver it. Then again, you can't outmaneuver a dragon either._ " Eragon laughed. The young dragon's wing had stopped bleeding, but still was wounded. " _Do you have any idea when Angela will get here? She should be able to help him._ "

" _She should be here soon. I talked with her a few moments ago, and she was talking about mushrooms again. I asked her where she was, and she seemed to indicate that she was near the base of the mountain range._ "

" _Good. I've been thinking, we need to name him._ "  
" _Yes, the same thought occurred to me. I was thinking Blaze._ "

" _That sounds nice. What do you think?_ " Eragon turned to the youngling, who looked up from the half-eaten deer, juices dripping from his jaw.

" _What? Sorry, I haven't eaten in days._ "  
" _You need a name. We can't just keep calling you 'dragon', or 'youngling', although Saphira might still call you that. Do you like the name 'Blaze'?_ "  
" _Blaze... I like it. It seems to suit me._ "

"Indeed it does." Angela said, walking up the last few feet. "You could have picked a smaller mountain, this is quite the climb." Angela bent over, breathing deeply.

" _Who are you?_ " Blaze asked, still eating.

"I'm Eragon's grandmother, Angela. I can see already why you wanted me here fast, Saphira. That wing looks terrible. How did this happen, and how long ago?"

" _A few days ago I had landed to eat, but a Borbatosk came charging through the brush and caught me off guard. I wasn't fast enough, and he clipped my wing. I managed to escape, but I couldn't fly very well. It hurt so much._ "  
"What's a Borbatosk?"

" _Is that the thing I saved you from?_ " Eragon asked, and Blaze nodded. " _Think boar, but the size of a house and with six tusks._ " Angela frowned, and looked in her bag.

"I hope that I can help. I'm not familiar with this area's natural herbs. Where is your home?"

" _Anywhere I can sleep. It's cold and unforgiving out here, so I have learned to live here._ " Blaze licked his paws off, having finished his meal.

"I see." Angela pulled out several small bowls, and a set of colorful plants, ranging from green and purple leaves to orange and red mushrooms. "I should be able to whip up something to help you, but I need to take a closer look at your wing first, so that I can see what it is I need to heal." Angela took a step towards Blaze, but he recoiled.

" _It's okay. Trust me. She's not going to hurt you. She's a very good healer, and is my family._ " Saphira took off, gliding down the rocky mountainside with ease. " _Be safe._ " Eragon said to her.

" _I will. It should be me worried about you, not the other way around._ " Eragon chuckled, and looked at Angela, who was now holding Blaze's wing.

"Ah, I see what happened. The tusk must have torn the ligament here, and when you tried to escape, you pulled it out at the wrong angle, so it did more on the way out. I see this all the time on warriors who think they can just yank out arrows. They end up doing more damage to themselves than the arrow. Thankfully, this is only a minor tear, so it shouldn't be too hard to heal." Angela started mixing different herbs, creating a concoction only she could make. "I'm just curious how such a young dragon is out here alone, with no other dragons in the area, save the ones who just came from over a thousand miles away. You must be an ancestor of the wild dragons who left. Interestingly, they followed the same path that we chose to take, staying near the river, and venturing out for food and shelter. My guess is that your parents are either dead, or they were forced to leave you behind to protect you from some predator or imminent disaster."  
" _How did you know that?_ " Blaze asked.

"I know how to observe. As some people would call me, I am, in their words, far too perspicacious, which means wise and uncanny. I have a knack for noticing detail that no one normally would. I saw that there were no other signs of dragons and the deer population was booming. Small details that any normal person would miss, I see."  
" _Define 'normal'._ " Eragon said. Blaze chuckled, and Angela glared at Eragon.

"Okay, so, this should work. I'll have to put this on the wound twice a day until it's healed, but it shouldn't take more than a week. Until then, no flying. I don't want you to damage it further. Eragon, the elves are coming up the river. I noticed that it comes into the valley down there. They will be here in a few days, but they will come. Blodhgarm doesn't like it, but he can't do everything on the boat, so he went with the majority vote, which happened to be everyone else." Angela smiled.

" _I knew he would come around. He's as stubborn as a mule, but even the most stubborn must bow at some point._ " Eragon said.

" _I like you guys. Can I stay with you?_ " Blaze asked.

" _You can stay as long as you like._ "  
" _No, I mean live with you. I really like you guys. You're like the family I never had._ "  
" _Of course._ " Eragon watched as Blaze laid down next to him, the orange contrasting wonderfully with his black scales. Eragon stared into the distance, happy, as Angela began to set up a tent. " _This is home._ "


	16. Rest

The Talita floated gently down the river, and Solembum sat at the prow of the ship. Several large fish looked rather appealing to him, but he was not hungry. Blodhgarm sulked around, mumbling to himself. The werecat found this quite amusing. " _Pray tell, which are you angrier about? That Eragon did not tell you, or that this happened to him?_ "  
"When Falkem died, hundreds of spellcasters tried to relearn his lost art. I was one of them, and I devoted years of study to that, then who should be rewarded, but the Rider? He's already far too powerful as it is, and yet now this? Too long have we slaved away for the Riders, and far too long has it been since I've even though about those spells." Blodhgarm sighed. "I trusted him. How was I so blind that I could not see what was in front of me?"  
" _No one did. A magic shielded him from you, and all the other elves. I was able to see, but I cannot explain why._ " Solembum padded over to beside Blodhgarm on the railing.

"Any news from Angela?"

" _Yes, but she asked me not to say anything. She said it was a surprise, and you should be ready to unpack the boat. They have found a place to live._ " Blodhgarm smiled.

"Finally. I was wondering if we were ever going to land..."

...

Eragon awoke to a squirming under his wing. Slowly, he lifted it, letting Blaze out. " _Good morning. How did you sleep?_ "  
" _Like a log. I haven't slept that well in a long time._ "

"Logs don't snore." Angela groaned from her tent. Her head popped out, and Eragon laughed. The herbalists usually nice hair stuck out in all directions, making her look even crazier than normal. "You laugh, but you had a horrible mess of hair when you woke up the first night in Farthen Dur." This only made Eragon laugh harder.

" _What's she talking about?_ " asked Blaze.

" _I'll tell you later. Where's Saphira?_ "  
" _Getting breakfast._ " Saphira's voice echoed in his mind. " _I'll be back shortly._ " Eragon hummed with delight, and Angela went back into her tent. A few moments later, she was back, with her hair straightened, and carrying the strange mixture from the day before.

"I hope that Solembum gets here soon. I miss him."  
" _Who's that?_ " Blaze asked.

"Solembum is my husband, and Eragon's grandfather. We certainly have quite a strange family, don't we?"  
" _We certainly do._ " Blaze sat still as the herbalist rubbed on the cream, and when she was done, he proceeded to stretch.

" _Is it okay for me to fly again now?_ " Angela laughed.

"No, not yet. It's still a fairly bad wound, but it's getting better." A shadow passed overhead, and Saphira landed next to him. Eragon hummed, and draped his wing over Saphira, who sighed. "Ah! I knew it!" Eragon jumped at Angela shouting.

" _What?_ "

"I knew something was up between you two. When did you, you know?"  
" _The night before you got here._ " Saphira said.

" _What is she talking about?_ " Blaze asked.

" _That, I will tell you when you are older._ " Eragon answered.

" _You say that a lot. Do you think I am too young to understand?_ "

" _I don't think that I'm quite old enough to understand fully. In simple terms, I was human, then I became a dragon. That is what happened in short._ "  
" _Interesting. Now give me the long version._ " Eragon laughed.

" _Ah, no._ " Eragon took off, and glided down the mountain, into the valley to hunt.


	17. Hurt and Healer

The valley was quiet. Too quiet for Eragon's liking. The sound of water filled his ears, but it was eerily silent. No birds chirped, no wolves howled, no deer stepped on stones, and strangest of all, no wind blew. Eragon watched the skies and ground carefully, not wanting to be caught off guard. A rock slid down to his left, and he looked up. Several other boulders had fallen as well, revealing an opening. Eragon angled himself up, hovering outside the mouth of the cave. It was an enormous cave, large enough for both him, Saphira, and the elves to fit in, with plenty of room to spare, but he didn't dare venture in yet. A single shaft of light came from somewhere in the ceiling, lighting up one spot on the floor. A spot that was masked in fresh blood. " _Saphira, you need to get down here. I have found something disturbing._ "

" _I am on my way. Be safe._ " Eragon flew higher, peering between the peeks of the mountains. Saphira was at least a half an hour flight away, with the wind at her back. Eragon turned back to the cave, sensing a dark aura coming from within. Eragon landed, kneeling low to the ground. The sun was not quite midday, and the shadows hid him from most things. Slowly, he crept closer to the mouth of the cave, peeking in. A glimpse of movement caught his eye, and he recoiled. His eyes adjusted to the dark quickly, and he looked inside the cavern. Several pillars of stone held the ceiling up, and the floor dipped out of view at the back. Something chattered inside, and Eragon leapt back.

" _Saphira! Get back to Angela, and do not come this way again during your hunts! There are Ra'zac in this cave!_ "  
" _I'm coming. There is undoubtedly a Lethrblaka nearby, so keep your guard up._ " Eragon took flight, and scanned the valley. The trees shifted slightly in the wind, then burst into pieces as two Lethrblaka charged out at him. Their earsplitting screeches reached his ears, but Eragon didn't flinch. He roared at them, and dove down, taking advantage of being above them. He crashed down on one, sending it to the ground, but the other one came at him from the side, jabbing at his wings. _Barzul!_ he cursed. _They're fast!_

" _Saphira, there's two of them here. I need help._ " Eragon swung his tail around, and hit the second across it's beak. The first one took back to flight, and came at him from underneath, stabbing his leg with it's beak. Roaring in pain, Eragon let a spray of fire come from his maw, the black flames swirling around the Lethrblaka. They stopped for a second, slightly dazed at the sudden light, then continued to fight. Eragon flew higher, away from the pair of Lethrblaka, who gave chase.

" _Eragon, head to your right now!_ " Eragon jerked out of the way as Saphira came crashing down from above, roaring with fury. The Lethrblaka tried to turn around, but were too slow to move, and one was instantly pummeled by Saphira's bulk, and the two of them plummeted to the earth. Eragon turned to face his foe, the lone Lethrblaka hovering at the same height as he was. It's eyes darted from side to side, looking over Eragon closely. Finally, it lunged, striking for his injured left leg. Eragon dipped his wing, lowering himself just enough that the sharp beak caught his scales, instead of his skin. An idea flew into Eragon's mind, and he dove, twisting in a tight circle as he did so. The ground spun below him, and, as he planned, the Lethrblaka followed, doing the same pattern, spiraling down quickly. The rapidly approaching ground suddenly vanished, as Eragon flipped himself around, falling backwards. With a burst of flame, he spun back around and spread his wings. The dazed Lethrblaka spiraled down still, and saw too late that the ground was right there, and crashed, breaking it's neck instantly. Eragon looked around, and saw Saphira down the valley, still struggling to kill her prey. Eragon started to move towards her, but she stopped; the Lethrblaka's head was crushed between her front leg and a rock.

" _We should get out of here, before more come._ " Eragon said, walking over to her.

" _That was dangerous, what you did. You could have died._ "  
" _And so could you. It's a risk I had take._ "  
" _You didn't have to. You could have simply fought it._ " Saphira argued.

" _I am still not as adept at this as you are. You've had your who life to learn how to fight, while I have only had three days to learn._ "  
" _What happened to all that talk about instinct?_ " Saphira teased, and Eragon rolled his eyes. He began to lay down, but a sharp pain in his leg reminded him that he was injured.

" _We should get back. There may be more._ " Eragon took flight, his wings aching from the battle.

...

"And furthermore, you are the most reckless person on the planet!" Angela finally took a breath after her half an hour rant. She had been making more creams and potions the whole time, while also cleaning his wound and cooking a stew full of herbs and medicinal plants. "And I worry about you. You're my last remaining relative, besides Solembum."

" _You know I have been in far more dangerous situations, and have come out every time._ " Eragon said.

"That's what worries me." Blaze sniffed the stew, and hummed.

" _It smells really good. Is it ready yet?_ " Angela walked over, and stirred it, sending the wonderful aroma into the air.

"Just about. Let it cool, and it'll be ready to eat, but not for you. I've put stuff in here that would be strong enough to knock out a dragon your size for a few days. Hopefully, it should only make Eragon fall asleep faster while I work on the wound." Eragon looked down at his leg, the deep cut was still bleeding, but not quite as badly. Saphira hadn't left his side the whole time, and Blaze was scared when he landed.

" _Will it hurt him when you heal it?_ "  
"It may sting, but he should be asleep by then." She scooped up a large bowl of the thick stew, and brought it over to Eragon, who drank it in one gulp. She repeated the process a few times, until the pot was empty, and Eragon's eyes drooped.. "Sweet dreams."  
" _I never have sweet dreams anymore. Always some prophecy or..._ " Eragon yawned. " _or some conversation with a dead guy or..._ " Eragon stopped, and began to snore. Saphira pressed against his side, and Blaze curled up next to him. Angela worked fast, the medicines she made working quickly on the wound.

" _Sweet dreams._ " Saphira laid down next to him, and drifted to sleep.


	18. Dream

_He saw Blaze, far above him, and Saphira beside him. They were flying higher and higher, above the clouds and above the mountains. The stars were around them, and Eragon was starting to have trouble breathing. A gleam of green further ahead of him started glowing, and a beam shot out, hitting Blaze, who screamed in pain. Then he started falling. Falling limply back to the ground. He whizzed past Eragon, who dove after him, leaving Saphira behind. Eragon was still chasing Blaze, when the sky turned green again, and a second roar filled the air. Eragon turned back to see Saphira falling now, her head smoldering where the beam had hit her. Eragon tipped his wings, aligning himself under Saphira, catching her on his back. He kept falling after Blaze, struggling to keep up with the rapidly falling youngling. The sky became green again, and a searing pain hit his wing, causing him to roar in anger. Eragon tried to turn around, but could not move his wing. The sky lit up again, and the last thing Eragon knew, he was being pulled into the void. He heard a voice he had not heard in a long, long, long time. "Eragon, your time has come. You have failed, Master of the Skies. Come to me, my son. Come to me."_

" _Brom... no... NO!" Eragon shouted as the dark abyss surrounded him._

 _A flash of light, and he was on the mountain again. Saphira at his side. "I love you, you know that." He said._

" _Yes. I do. I feel like this has pulled us apart though. I'm sorry." She stood, and took off, leaving Eragon staring, calling out her name until all he could see of her was a speck in the distance. Eragon roared with agony as his love left him, as his only mate forever flew off, leaving him behind. He was broken, and he sobbed. He sobbed until the ground around him was soaked with his tears, and the sun dipped below the horizon._

" _I knew this would happen." A voice said behind him._

" _Get away from me! You made this happen!" Anger welled up in Eragon, and he lunged at a shadowed beast. There was a roar, and a flash of light again._

 _Eragon stood where he was when he talked with Falkem, but this time, still a dragon. "So, we meet again. I told you that we would." Eragon felt different this time, like it was almost real. "It is real. You are here." Falkem said. "My offer still stands. Do you truly wish to become human once more? Do you truly wish for me to take back the gift that I have given to you?"  
"No." Eragon replied. "I have found more in these past few days than I have in my entire life. I have found peace, joy, happiness, and most of all, I have found love."_

" _Good. Then this will be the last time we will talk. I bid you farewell, until we meet in the place beyond the void."_

" _Wait!" Eragon called out. "Those other dreams, were they real as well?" Falkem was silent for a few moments before answering._

" _Yes and no. They are what is to happen should you fail, should you falter from your path. This is what will become of you and those around you should you choose a different path than what has been set before you. A life hangs by a thread, balanced on the edge of a knife, and a single mistake may take it all away. You will soon face challenges that you will affect your entire life, and the lives of those around you. Yes, they are real, but not yet. I have one favor more to ask of you. Tell the elf Blodhgarm to forget my teachings. Tell him that this pursuit will consume him if he is not careful. I may have been powerful in my life, but I was shallow and weak before Galbatorix. I fear far worse for him. Please, tell him to stop. Goodbye." With those final words, a blinding light consumed Eragon, and everything faded away._  
...

"Well, glad to see that the herbs are wearing off." Eragon opened his eyes to see Angela standing in front of him, only a few inches away from his face. "Good morning!" She said cheerfully.

" _Good morning. How did you sleep?_ " Saphira asked.

" _Remember when I said that I don't dream anymore? I still don't dream._ " Saphira sighed, and took off with Blaze.

" _I'll let you two talk. We'll go find some breakfast._ " Eragon turned to Angela, who was sitting on the ground nearby.

"Let me guess. You saw Falkem again, as well as a few other things." Eragon nodded, standing up, and stretching his legs and wings.

" _I saw Saphira, Blaze, and myself get killed by something. It was horrifying. I heard Brom's voice. He called me 'Master of the Skies', and told me that I had failed. Then, I saw Saphira next to me. She was angry with me, and flew away from me. I felt horrible, when this thing came up behind me, and told me that it knew that would happen. I was angry, and I lunged at it, but the dream faded to where I stood and spoke with Falkem. I told him about everything that had happened, and he told me about the other dreams, about how they were what would happen should I stray from the path before me. He asked me to do him a favor: to tell Blodhgarm to stop pursuing Falkem's work. I don't know why though._ "

"Interesting. I didn't know Blodhgarm studied Falkem's work." Angela stopped, and pulled out her staff from the inside of her tent. "So, onto a brighter topic, your wound is almost fully healed. I continue to be amazed at the wonderful perks of dragons."  
" _As am I. Falkem made the right choice by choosing me. I am very happy, happier than I have ever been. I can look out, and see for miles from up here, and know that no other being has a mate as beautiful as Saphira. And Blaze, I think of him as family. He is like me, a young lad who was raised by his uncle, never knowing who his true parents were. The biggest difference is that we will never meet his parents._ "  
"That is true, but you two seem to have bonded incredibly well. I've noticed how he looks at you, and it's the same look I saw in Brom when he looked at Solembum: the look of trust beyond comprehension. He trusts you, Eragon, as a child would his father. You've done well." Eragon hummed, and saw Saphira flying up the mountain with a deer in her claws.

" _I hope so._ "


	19. Tribe

**Well, I never thought I'd see the day. You did it. All of you. You made this story hit 10,000 views! I am blown away! Thank you all so much!**

...

It had been over a month since Eragon's first real battle as a dragon. The Lethrblaka had been guarding the nest, and several Ra'zac had been spotted prowling the riverbanks near Eragon's mountain a few days later. They were young, though, and were easily scared off by Eragon diving at them. They had scattered, and had not been seen again since. The elves arrived the next day, and landed the ship. After a few hours of debating, they decided to do something similar to what the dwarves had done, much to Eragon's delight. Work had begun shortly after, and everyone was hard at work for the next three weeks, boring through the stone with magic and muscle. The elves would dig, and the dragons would move the stone to other areas of the valley, to be used later. Now, the work was coming along nicely, and Eragon landed from his hunting trip at the base, to admire their work once more.

The tunnel in was lined with flameless lanterns, and was wide enough to have two dragons pass by each other with room to spare. The roof was arched, and lined with ornate carvings along the edges. After about a dozen yards, it opened up into the main cavern, where more flameless lanterns hung. The cavern went straight up into the mountain, with a stone walkway spiraling up on each side for easy access. The open room was over a hundred yards wide, and was hollow in the center, allowing the dragons to fly to the top with ease. Rooms lined the walkway up, each one large enough to fit a dragon, in case any more should appear. The elves made rooms for themselves on the lower layers, while Eragon had created a way out of the top, leading to the patch of grass he and Saphira like to lay on to watch the sunset.

The entire structure had a dwarvish feel to it, but the elves retained their keen eye for detail, causing the tunnels to seem natural. They seemed to flow with the unseen contours of the rock, while still being perfectly straight. Eragon walked down the hallway, and into the main room, where he met Solembum. "And how was your hunt? Anything eventful?" the young-looking lad asked as he leaned against a wall.

" _As I said yesterday, I will let you know if anything happens, so your answer is no._ " Solembum shrugged, and walked away. Eragon turned his head upward, and took off, his claws scraping against the stone tile floor. With a few powerful flaps, he was quickly ascending the tower, and came to the exit. He walked out and saw Saphira, with Blaze under her wing, both watching the stars rise. Silently, he took his place at Saphira's side, sighing.

" _I spoke with Blodhgarm today, and he thinks it wise to scry Nasuada soon, to let her know, in his words: 'That we are not dead.'_ " Eragon chuckled.

" _I have been thinking about that, as well as Roran. He is still my family, and I miss him deeply. The largest problem is that I do not know if I am still capable of casting spells like I used to._ " They were silent for a moment, pondering this.

" _I believe it is still possible, but I have never tried to cast a spell myself._ "  
" _Then I shall try to scry them in the morning. It is late, and I am tired._ " Eragon looked over, and smiled. Blaze was curled up under Saphira, snoring. A cold wind blew up from the south, and Eragon shivered. " _I don't know how I'm going to explain this to them. They wouldn't understand._ "

" _Don't worry about it. What are they going to do? Force you to become human again?_ " Eragon laughed at this, and turned his eyes to the stars. Thousands of them, all brilliantly hung in the sky for them to see.

" _They can hardly do anything about it, however, I will try my best to explain this to them._ " Eragon laid his head down, and promptly fell asleep.

...

Morning dawned with the crowing of a loud bird, and Eragon slowly lifted his head. Saphira and Blaze were still asleep, and Eragon moved away from them, the morning dew dripping off of his wings. He took off, the cool morning air whipped around him, and he dove into the valley. A thick layer of fog veiled the riverbank, causing Eragon to rely more on smell. He flew above the trees, but still low enough to cause birds to scatter. He sniffed the air, catching the scent of deer, and something else, something... new, yet, strangely familiar. "Did you hear that?" a rough voice said below him.

"Yeah... do you think they're back?" a second, higher voice replied.

"Nah, it can't be. We'd be dead already." Eragon dove below the fog, and landed on the bank. Silently, he crept along, close to the ground. The thick fog veiled him, but Eragon's keen vision let him see a few feet further than most things. Eragon saw what he smelled and heard, but remained unseen. "Blast this fog, I can't even see my own hand in front of me!" Three humans walked in the fog, each with simple leather armor on their chests.

"Shut up!" the third man hissed. "If they're back, then your talking has alerted them of our presence!" Eragon smirked, and decided to have some fun. He moved closer, to just outside of their view. One extended his hand, and brushed Eragon's nose. The man's eyes widened, and the other two men drew their swords. "What is it?"

"I'm touching something... I don't know what it is, but I don't like it..." Eragon tried his hardest not to laugh, as the man's shaky voice quivered.

"Well, what are you touching?" The largest man asked.

"I think it's a Blackhood. It feels strange... I'm going to back away." The three men took a step backwards, and Eragon moved, putting his nose under the man's hand again. "AH!" he screamed. Eragon moved a bit closer, letting himself be seen.

" _Well, well, well. Humans! This is a surprise! Oh, Saphira is going to love this._ " Eragon said to them.

"Back you foul demon! Back!" the shortest man said, pointing his sword at Eragon. Eragon glared at him, and took flight for a moment, beating his wings furiously, cutting through the thick fog. All three of the men screamed in terror, as they fell on their back.

" _You've made a mistake. I'm no Blackhood, I am a dragon._ " Eragon said, landing. The fog had been pushed away, and the small area they were in only had ground fog roll back in.

"Impossible. There have been no dragons here in over a hundred years."

" _You're wrong, for I found a young dragon over a month ago._ "

"Impossible. Then the time of the dragons has come." The tallest man said.  
" _What are you talking about?_ "  
"There is an old legend, one that has been passed down for many generations. 'The dragons shall be unseen, and the Blackhoods reign supreme. A glimmer of light for hope, and a shadow of pride along the slope. As the dark falls, and the fog lifts, the dragon calls, and opens the Rift. Many will fall at their hands, but the Blackhoods will be cast from these lands, and the Time of Dragons will rise again.' For over a dozen generations we have told this tale to our children, but never thought it would happen in our time. You are indeed a good omen, great dragon. What shall we call you?"  
" _I am known as Eragon Bromsson. And what are your names, brave hunters?_ " The tallest man laughed.

"Brave? Ha! We ventured in because we had to. I am Akritt. These are my brothers, Leonis and Zythor. There was no deer in the plains." Akritt gestured to the shorter man first, then to the other.

"Where is your group? You said that there is another, but is not here." Zythor asked.

" _They are at a dwelling that we have created with the rest of our... tribe._ " Eragon paused, looking for the right word. " _Where is yours?_ "  
"Anywhere we can sleep. We never stay in one place, but we continue to look. Someday we will find the place to settle."

" _Gather your tribe, and meet me at the mouth of the valley at first light tomorrow. We created our home to be large enough for over a hundred dragons, surely you can all fit._ "  
"Your offer is generous. We will meet you tomorrow then." Akritt sheathed his sword, and pulled out a bow. "But first, we must finish our hunt. The fog is clearing, and I can see what I need to kill now."  
" _Happy hunting. I will see you tomorrow._ " Eragon took off, snagging a deer on his way back out of the valley.


	20. News

" _Saphira!_ " Eragon roared as he flew back up the mountain. He had devoured his meal whilst flying, and soared on a thermal updraft to go up the mountain faster. Saphira and Blaze both looked at him as Eragon flew over to them. " _I have made a discovery, but I must tell Blodhgarm as well. Come on!_ " Without stopping, Eragon went into the mountain, barely touching the ground as he began to dive down the tower. Saphira got up and followed, albeit at a much slower pace, but still managing to keep up. Reaching the bottom, Eragon roared, calling Blodhgarm with his mind and voice. " _Blodhgarm! Get out here now!_ " Blodhgarm practically leapt out of his room, and vaulted to the ground floor with a roll when he landed.

" _What is it? Why have you caused such an uproar?_ " Saphira asked.

"Yes, what is going on?" Blodhgarm wondered. Several of the other elves were around him, while the others were on their way over.

" _During my hunt, I found a group of humans._ " Eragon started, but all chaos broke loose, as everyone began talking at once.

"Humans! They must be highly advanced to be able to avoid being seen!" One of the elves exclaimed.

"They must be barbarians! Should they attack, we would be easily overtaken if we are not vigilant!" another argued.

" _Why would they attack us? There is not just one dragon, but three here! It would be foolish for them to even think that they can defeat us in combat!_ " Saphira boasted, holding her head high. Blodhgarm was surprisingly quiet, merely hanging his head, shaking it as he contemplated what it meant.

"We should attack at the source, striking directly at one of their villages. If we can catch them in the night, then we could..." the last elf didn't get the chance to finish, when Eragon roared, shaking the mountain. All eyes fell back on him as he stood before them, furious.  
" _That is enough! They are not barbarians! They are nomads! And I would never dream of attacking them, or them attacking us._ " Eragon looked down at them, the elves slightly scared of him. " _I can assure you, they are peaceful people, simple nomads who wander the plains. I have arranged a meeting with their tribe tomorrow at sunrise. I want Saphira and Blodhgarm to come with me, as I only met three of them, and they seemed to indicate that their tribe was rather large. I plan on inviting them into our dwelling._ " This caused another uproar, until Eragon asserted himself again. " _I understand that you are cautious of outsiders, but we do not know these lands well enough yet. They have wandered these lands for over a dozen generations, and they know all there is about it._ "  
"We have Blaze, he knows enough." the first one of the elves said. Eragon was about to answer, but was stopped by Blodhgarm.

"I believe I understand what you are saying Eragon, and it is as you said; we are wary to outsiders. However, I do see why you would want this. Blaze is knowledgeable, but he does not know everything. That, Sarriel, is why we will consider it, and if this is what you are sure of, we will adapt. I've found that you can't argue with this him." Blodhgarm gestured toward Eragon, causing him to smile while he restrained from laughing, even though he knew Blodhgarm meant well.

" _So be it. We will leave early tomorrow morning, and meet them at the mouth of the valley._ " Slowly, the group dispersed, until it was just Saphira, Blodhgarm, Angela, and Eragon left. " _Angela, I need your help with something._ "

"Talking over scrying using mental communication? Saphira told me already, and I have it ready." Angela said with a smile, and pulled out a large book. "I write down all my discoveries, so that I always have them." she said, flipping through the pages. "Ah, yes. I never did tell you the conclusion of my research from when we first met. Apparently all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads!" Angela laughed.

"Really? How did you not know this?" Blodhgarm asked, as if it was something he knew forever. Eragon chuckled, and turned his gaze back to the book.

"Ah, here it is." Angela proclaimed, scanning one of the last pages of the book. "I've been working on this for a while, but have never had the chance to try it. I also am unsure of how you would cast it of your own accord, seeing as how you have been unable to cast spells in the conventional way thus far. Dragons have never been recorded casting spells using words, so you may still require some assistance in casting the spell. I say may, because you were human. I am not entirely sure, but you may be able to cast spells."  
" _Then I shall try. If I am unsuccessful, however, you will need to cast it._ "

"Very well." The four of them walked into a large room with a bowl cut into the middle that was filled to the brim with water. "Here are the words." Angela held up the book for Eragon to see, and everyone took a step back as Eragon began to form the words in his mind.

" _Draumr Hugr Thorta!_ "* Eragon shouted with his mind at the water. Slowly, he felt the energy begin to seep out of him, and into the water as slowly, ever so slowly, it began to change and shift into a picture of Nasuada's room in Uru'baen.

"It worked." Angela gasped, before pulling her book back out and writing loudly.

" _Nasuada?_ " Eragon called through the shimmering water. A few seconds later, her head appeared, and she grew confused.

"Eragon? Where are you?"

" _I am here. I have news of this land, and of myself._ "  
"I am pleased to hear that, but I would rather talk to your face, and not that of a dragon, although I must admit, he is rather stunning looking." Nasuada smirked.

" _That is the news of me. I have been granted a gift from a spellcaster of long ago, when Galbatorix had just taken over. I have been given the heart, soul, mind, and body of a dragon. I am no longer human, and you are looking at me in my new form._ " Eragon waited as Nasuada pulled up a chair, taking a seat in front of the mirror she had.

"And this is why you have called upon me? To merely tell me that you are a dragon? I have more important matters to attend to at the moment, and as momentous as this is, they are pressing."  
" _Very well. I will not take any more of your time than I must. We have created a new home out here. We are several months travel between here and where we left, so if you wish to send anyone, keep in mind that it will be perilous. Also, would you please ask your librarians and scholars in every city to find the origins of the Ra'zac? We have surprisingly encountered several in the past weeks. I wish to learn more about them, for I fear that we will see them again._ "  
"Very well. I will inform the elves too. Is that all?"  
" _Yes, it is._ " Nasuada bowed slightly, and Eragon cut the spell. Eragon cast it again, focusing this time on Roran. It didn't take as long this time for the spell to work, and it showed a wooden wall, with portraits along it. Katrina's face appeared, and she gasped.

"Roran, come look at this." A few seconds later, Roran appeared as well, and laughed.

"My dear, you have become a dragon!" They shared a laugh for a few moments, and Eragon merely watched.

" _No, I have become a dragon._ " Roran and Katrina froze, and turned to the mirror. " _Hello, Roran, Katrina. I take it life in Carvahal is well?_ "

"By the light! That can't be you!" Roran exclaimed. "You're far to scaly for even Eragon!"  
" _It is indeed me. I am truly a dragon._ "  
"Well, this is truly unexpected! Now Ismira has a dragon for an uncle!" Roran laughed.

" _I am pleased that you are taking this so well. I was unsure of how you would react._ " Eragon shuffled on his feet slightly.

"Eragon." Roran bore a serious expression, staring deeply at Eragon. "I may be your cousin, but we are brothers. No matter what form you take, as long as you are happy, I will be happy with you. When you rejoice, I will rejoice. When you mourn, I too will mourn. There is nothing that can change that. No distance between us, not age, or the form we take, not even time and death will change that. I will always be here for you. When you needed a shoulder to cry on, who did you come to? When I had a secret to admit, who did I confide in? We will always be together, and if you're ever in Carvahal, I'd be happy to lend you my shoulder." Eragon was delighted to hear this.

" _But I am sure that I would break your shoulder now._ " Eragon laughed. Katrina looked over to her left, and walked away for a moment, before coming back into view. Eragon beamed as he saw Ismira, her blue eyes looking at him with curiosity and wonder.

"Say hi to your uncle, dear. He's a long way away from us, and he's saying hi!" Katrina said, holding Ismira up. "It's almost bedtime, so say goodnight to him. Bye Eragon, it's been wonderful speaking to you again."

" _It is always a pleasure to speak with you as well. I bid you goodnight._ " Eragon said as he ended the spell.

"Strange. The sun is only just starting to dip below the mountains. I will have to study this further." Angela said.

"We should all rest. I do not want to be caught off guard when we meet these humans tomorrow. If you would excuse me, I believe I will retire."

...

 ***literally "dream mind speak". I couldn't think of anything else so that made the most sense, and it's a simple spell anyways.**


	21. Fate's Binding

Morning seemed to come much faster than before. Eragon was awake before the sun had even begun to light up the sky. Today was the day that he was going to meet Akritt and his tribe, and he was eager to be there in time. He quickly roused himself, and descended into the hall. " _Blodhgarm! Wake up! It is time to go meet our new allies!_ " he called. When no one answered, Eragon looked into his room, only to find it empty.

"Looking for someone, Skulblaka?" Eragon turned around to see Blodhgarm standing next to Angela, adjusting the straps on his tunic. A bow was slung across his back, and his sword hung at his side. Angela was dressed similarly, holding her staff at her side.

" _Skulblaka? Am I no longer a Shadeslayer?_ "  
"It seems to fit you better now. You are no longer human, and I believe that your true name has changed as well. Regardless, we must be off. We should be at the mouth of the valley early, so that we can check for ambushes." Blodhgarm explained.

"For once, I agree with you." Angela snidely remarked, earning herself a glare from both of them. "They may have been friendly to you, but we do not know how they will react to us. I, for one, would rather be safe than dead."

"Some of us wouldn't mind that..." Blodhgarm muttered, earning himself a smack on the back of the head with Eragon's tail.

" _Now, now, you two. Be on your best behavior._ "  
"Yes father." Angela mocked. Blodhgarm snickered, and they both smirked until Eragon smacked them both. The sound of flapping caused Eragon to look up, and he saw Saphira gliding down.

" _You were going to leave without even saying goodbye?_ " She said as she landed.

" _You were asleep, rather soundly, I might add. I did not want to disturb you._ "

" _Well, you should have woken me anyways. You can also save your goodbye for when you do leave. Are you ready Angela?_ " Angela swiftly leapt up onto Saphira's back.

" _You are not coming this time Saphira. If they feel threatened, they may attack, and I don't want you to be hurt._ " Eragon protested. Saphira snorted, and spread her wings.

" _You should worry about yourself much more than me._ " She leapt up, and glided down the corridor and out of the mountain. Eragon followed shortly after, as Blodhgarm grabbed on as he flew past. The dark sky was beginning to light up, illuminating with bright, vibrant colour.

...

Akritt looked around as his men shuffled nervously. The forty men and women in his tribe were all tired and weary from the travel, but still had the energy to talk amongst themselves. The few warriors amongst them had hidden in the low underbrush, armed with bows and very primitive arrows. The stone swords they wielded would be no match for the thick hides of a Borbatosk, let alone a dragon. The sun began to rise behind them, lighting up the valley as the sound of wings beating filled their ears.

...

Eragon kept his link to Saphira open, and they shared thoughts and feelings. " _There._ " Eragon said, pointing to a group of small figures near the river.

" _Rather small group, aren't they?_ " Angela said.

" _They are nomads. They have had no home to keep safe from the elements, and it is a cruel world out here. I do agree with you, however. Akritt seemed to indicate that they had a larger tribe than this. Keep your guard up._ " Eragon tucked his wings in, and dove down, skimming the stream with his claws. Saphira was above him, and watched as he burst through the treeline that hid him. All the people dove to the ground, and several archers rose from the bushes, simple sharpened sticks in the primitive weapons. Eragon wheeled around, hovering above the group as they began to regroup.

"Fire!" one shouted.

"Wait!" Akritt ran in front of them, and they held their fire. Eragon landed, shaking the ground as he did. "Hold your fire!" Slowly, the archers lowered their bows, as Saphira circled overhead.

" _Akritt, what is the meaning of this? I trusted you enough to invite you into our dwelling, and you attempt to ambush us?_ "  
"I am sorry, Eragon. It was my idea, but only as a preventative measure. I am simply trying to protect my tribe."

"Well, perhaps next time you could avoid doing so in such manner?" Blodhgarm said, sliding off of Eragon's back. Saphira landed as well, but only to allow Angela to do the same, before taking flight once more.

"My word! Who are these people?" Akritt gasped.

"I am Angela, and this is Blodhgarm." Blodhgarm bowed, but did not take his eyes off of Akritt. "We are Eragon's friends."  
" _Family._ " Eragon corrected.

"Family then. We are here to help make sure things go smoothly." Angela smiled.

"I see. Shall we be off then?"  
" _No._ " Saphira said. " _I wish to see his memories, just to assure that he is indeed trustworthy._ "

" _Saphira, I do not wish to invade his mind. It is rude to do such a thing without..._ "  
"Very well then." Akritt cut Eragon off. "I am no stranger to magic. In fact, my wife is rather skilled in the forms of summoning spirits. I will allow you to see my mind, great dragon, as long as I have your name."  
" _I like him._ " Saphira told him privately, and Eragon chuckled. " _Very well then. I will look only where I must, nowhere else._ " Eragon linked his mind with Saphira's, and felt a strange feeling for a fleeting moment, before she delved into Akritt's mind.

 _Akritt gripped his new sword, the honed stone blade sharp, but more deadly as a club. He swung it experimentally, feeling the heavy weapon he now wielded. He stepped out of the tent, and looked around at the camp. His brothers were wrestling on the ground while the fire cooked a deer they had caught. His fiance stood nearby, creating charms for her magic. Several elderly men sat on a blanket, talking. They would have to move on soon, there was no shelter from the elements around them._

 _Akritt sobbed, and looked at the small mound before him with several runes on it. "I will miss you. We will miss you." He bent over, and set a charm on it: a small square with a sailing ship. "Now, you are on a far greater journey than we could imagine. Goodbye mother."_

 _The warriors around him looked around. The valley was dark, but they could see remarkably well. The herds were a short distance away, safe from any harm that might come from the mountains. The archers shifted nervously, but Akritt stood firmly. The dragon seemed friendly when they meet, but that may have changed since then. He wasn't going to take any chances. A flapping filled his ears, and panicked when the trees exploded as a large black dragon burst through them._

Eragon pulled himself back to his own body, and looked at Saphira. " _I am satisfied. I will be keeping an eye on them, however._ " she told Eragon.

" _Good. We should get them in as soon as we can. The longer we are out here, the more likely we are to encounter the Ra'zac._ " He replied, then addressed everyone. " _Angela, go with them on the ground, Saphira will accompany you. Blodhgarm and I will return home as fast as we can to prepare a place for them._ " There were several cheers, and Angela nodded. Saphira landed as he took off, putting several tons of wood on her back. Soon, Eragon lost sight of them, and had only Blodhgarm as company.

"I can sense that you have a reason for wanting me to accompany you rather than help them. Pray tell, what is it?" Blodhgarm asked.

" _When Saphira and I looked through Akritt's memories, I saw a familiar image. He stood over his mother's grave, and placed a small charm on her grave. It had the same inscription on it as one of the knuckle bones Angela used to cast my fortune: the sailing ship. I would not dwell on it, but with recent events, I feel as though Fate is weaving around me once more. Premonitions, visions, they all seem to point to my past, and to my future. I will not be blind to it this time._ "

"If Fate surrounds you, then you must be open to it. It is fate that brought us this far, and fate has been with us even before we met. I do, however, think that we should not be blind to fate. Sometimes we must take into our own hands. I have had similar thoughts in the past, and when I doubted, I trusted my instincts. I hope you would do the same."

" _Thank you, Blodhgarm. I will always value your wisdom._ "  
"My pleasure." Eragon looped down, and into the tunnel. They were going to have permanent guests.


	22. Dances of Dragons

Eragon and Blodhgarm stood outside the grand archway, watching the humans slowly approach. All preparations were ready, and several dozen rooms had been prepared, along with an area to the south prepared for the flocks of animals and farms. As the sun reached midday, Saphira finally contacted him. " _Is everything ready?_ "

" _Yes, and I am very pleased with it._ " Blodhgarm ran inside the tunnel, shouting at the rest of the elves to come greet the humans. As Akritt and his tribe approached, they gaped in wonder at the marvelous display before them. All twelve elves stood at the entrance, weapons barred, creating a defensive line against any creatures that would attack. Children hid behind their parents, and Eragon felt the wariness of several of the men that had ambushed them. Smiling, Eragon spread his wings, and roared to the sky, but not with that of ferocity, but that of triumph. A smile broke on Akritt's lips, as he walked into the corridor. Murmurs of wonder spread as the many people slowly entered the mountain. Akritt led the way, and once all of the humans were in, the elves followed.

"Simply marvelous! You created this out of solid rock! And it's warm in here, when stone should be cold, how is that so?" Akritt asked.

"While we were digging, we discovered a hot spring under the floor. The steam keeps it warm, and the water flows into out baths over there." One of the elves said.

"I would be excited to see that. Hot water springs are a thing of beauty, but are seldom unclaimed." Akritt said, following the elf across the floor.

"We have prepared rooms on the second level for your entire tribe. I hope you find them to your liking." Blodhgarm bowed, gesturing to the stairs. The children laughed as they ran over, exploring the cavern. Parents followed, smiling and chatting amongst each other, carefully walking up the stairs. Slowly moving into rooms, the humans settled down, and the elves returned to whatever they had been doing. Eragon, however, was not as lucky.

" _Saphira! What are you doing?_ " he yelped as she bit at his side.

" _You need to relax. You spend too much time being a leader, and not enough time with me, especially lately._ "

" _You very well know why too. We had to do this, and no one else was willing to take charge._ " Eragon said as he flew up to the top of the Keep.

" _I fully understand, and you are not the only one capable, or willing to do this. Angela and Blodhgarm are more than enough to keep this place in order, even though there are differences. I get that you want to be seen as a leader, and that is important, but you have pushed aside someone to do so._ "  
" _And who would that be?_ " Eragon asked, starting to get annoyed.

" _Me._ " Eragon was taken aback. He landed on the mountaintop, and looked at her. " _You once told me that you loved me, but you have not shown that you do in weeks. You are always busy, running around, hunting for food, keeping things from falling apart. Sometime soon, you won't be able to control it all, and when that happens, if you keep this up, I will not be there to help you. Now, if you truly love me, then let's go._ " Saphira said, not even bothering to land before speeding down the mountain.

" _Saphira! I'm needed here!_ " Eragon called out to her, but she didn't even glance back. " _Dragons can be so stubborn sometimes._ " Giving in, he took off after her. As he followed in her wake, he notice that she was going along the side of the mountain range, rather than through it. Vast plains stretched out beneath him, and the sun cast a dark shadow near the base of the hills. Small rivers flowed into ponds and lakes formed in valleys cut by time. Saphira suddenly banked hard, wheeling around a cliff that jutted out from the side. Eragon trailed behind her, and around the cliff, but he lost sight of her. Somehow, in the straight valley, she had vanished from his sight. Hovering in the air, he looked around, wary of being attacked.

" _Well? Are you coming or not?_ " Saphira asked as she flew up behind him.

" _How did you do that? I know you have many tricks that you could use, but how did you simply vanish like that?_ "  
" _You'll see. Come on._ " She went back, and behind a rockslide on the steep cliff. Eragon copied what she did, and found a small opening, just large enough for him to fly through. Gliding into the cavern, he gasped at the sight. A waterfall poured from the far side of the rocks, and crystals of every color shone with brilliant light. A lush, grassy patch was around the small pond near the waterfall, and small waves rippled onto the fine sand, causing a blue reflection on the roof, where the largest crystals were. Saphira dove into the pool of water, which was clear as glass, and went to the bottom, as Eragon glided around in the still, calm air. Slowly, he landed, and looked into the water, seeing his own reflection. His black scales were a dull gray, and his eyes had no life in them. His own reflection looked like a different person than he knew. " _You needed this._ " Eragon gazed beyond his reflection, to see Saphira coming up to him.

" _I don't deserve you anymore. You were right. I have pushed you away._ " Eragon couldn't even bring himself to look at her. " _You deserve better than me, and should have someone else._ "  
" _Eragon. No one being could possible ever match what you are. Even with your flaws, you are beyond perfect for me. If you were anyone else, I wouldn't have hatched for you. I wouldn't have chosen you to be my rider. I wouldn't have chosen you to be my mate. Eragon, I love you. Don't ever for a moment think that I wouldn't. But you needed to be reminded, and that's why we're here. I found this while hunting, and have been wanting to show it to you. I feel like this could be our home._ "  
" _What about the elves, and Angela, and the human? What about the home we built?_ "  
" _That will suit them, but there will come a time where we will need to let them go. Soon, there may be more dragons, and I will want to be away from everyone to raise them._ "  
" _Saphira, what are you planning?_ "

" _Eragon, I want to be a mother, but I can't do it without you._ " Eragon was silent for a few moments. Saphira began to worry, and looked away, afraid.

" _It is a lot to take in. I do not know if I am capable of that, but I won't be helping you with that while I look like this. I am filthy, and need to wash away this grime._ " Eragon said as he dove into the water, making sure to splash her with his tail.

" _You'll pay for that one!_ " Saphira said, leaping after him. They played in the water for a long time, swimming around each other, racing, and relaxing. Soon, they both became tired, and crawled onto the grass, where they laid down next to each other.

" _I am ready._ "

...

 **I will be making sure to keep this as a "T" rating. I do not like that sort of graphic writing, so you won't bee seeing it here. Also, like I say on my profile, do not expect me to update frequently. I will be trying to update faster than I did with this chapter, since it took me 2 months. Again, sorry for that. I'll try not to keep you waiting too long!**


	23. Debt Unowed

Red evening sky was overhead when Eragon and Saphira got back to their home. The humans were busy, working hard on building farms and pens for their herds. The elves were talking amongst the humans, explaining magic, history, and whatever else they could. Blaze sat up on top of the mountain, surveying the land below him, with Angela at his side. Looking up, they saw Eragon and Saphira. " _You seem different._ " Blaze said telepathically to Eragon.

" _Different?_ "  
" _Refreshed. You seem more energized now. It makes me happy._ " Eragon hummed. He did feel better after he got cleaned up. Saphira and he would most definitely be going to their cavern again. " _Blodhgarm wishes to speak with you. He says that he and Akritt need to discuss something private with you._ "

" _Figures. So be it._ " He told Blaze, before turning to Saphira. " _I am sorry, but i must go. I'll be back later, my love._ "

" _My love? Does this mean that I can no longer call you little one?_ " Eragon chuckled as he turned downwards.

" _It matters not what you call me, as long as you are mine._ " Quickly spiraling down, he swooped close to the rock face, the wind under his wings keeping him from crashing into the smooth stone. Blodhgarm stood near Akritt close to the entrance. Watching Eragon as he came closer, they moved away from the tunnel. " _I was told you needed to talk to me. What is so urgent that it cannot wait for me to even say hello to my grandmother?_ "

"Well, we are grateful for your generosity, and we understand that giving us a home is a great gift, but I can't help but feel like we are taking advantage of you. I want to offer something in return, but I did not know what. Then Blodhgarm here had an idea." Akritt explained.  
" _You know I ask nothing in return. I give out of our surplus, to fulfill your need._ "  
"I understand that Eragon," Blodhgarm said. "but I had an idea. They have many people in their tribe, we have only a dozen elves, two dragons, and Angela. We may have much, but we need more people. Specifically, warriors. Elves are highly skilled, but we are not immortal. We found metal in the mountain while digging it out, so we can forge weapons, armour. We can train more warriors as defenders of the land. If you will allow it, I would like to oversee the training of the new warriors, and the continued training of the ones they have. We can sing bows from the trees, arrows from sticks, and create vast armories, but I will not do this without your consent. Even though I may not like seeing you in charge, I am at your command."

" _Why would we need such things? The Ra'zac are scared, and no other tribe on these plains would dare to fight us._ "  
"The Nightprowlers, or as you know them, Ra'zac are crafty and numerous among these lands. There are also other foul beasts that prowl the night. Wolves and bears are common in the mountains, as well as large birds that kill our flocks. These lands are dangerous, even for you. Every sword and spear we can get will be another life that may be spared."  
" _Then you have my permission. Build the forge near the spring, and the armoury next to it. If that is all, then I will be going back to my family now._ " Bowing, Blodhgarm and Akritt walked back inside, as Eragon flew back to the top of the mountain. Angela was talking with Saphira, while Blaze slept next to her. " _All has been settled. I will enjoy sleeping tonight, and I can begin working on the new forge in the morning._ "

"Good. I am curious to know how the new trainees will like working with me."

" _You? You had a part to play in this too?_ " Saphira asked.

"Of course not. I merely listened in, and then decided to teach them how to brew potions. They can be very useful you know." Eragon laughed, his deep voice echoing in the mountains. Saphira did the same, the two of them loving the other's. As the stillness of the night settled back in, Eragon saw a fire being lit below. "I wonder what's down there..."

" _Would you like to use my eyes, so as to not disturb Blaze?_ " Saphira nodded as Angela climbed onto Eragon's back. Once again down the mountain, the humans stood in a circle, with Akritt in the middle, closer to the fire. Shadows danced around them, bringing to life the trees and bushes with glowing pulses.

"What tale shall I tell tonight?" Akritt asked in a loud voice.

"Firebirds!" A small child shouted, jumping up and down while clapping with excitement.

"Firebirds, eh?" Akritt chuckled, and pulled out a small pouch. Reaching in, he grabbed a pinch of dust, tossing it onto the fire, causing it to explode with a purple flame. "The firebirds were the third greatest in the sky, after the Blackhoods and dragons, of course. Born in liquid rock, in the fires of volcanoes, they fed on the very essence of fire, fueling their own flames from it. The greatest, and most terrible of these creatures was Pyrnoc, the beautiful. As demonic as these creatures were, they would always find a way to kill, and Pyrnoc discovered what would become their greatest weapon: her voice. A song so terrible to the ears of women, but a glorious melody to men, she would catch the eyes and hearts of the strongest warriors, even as she burnt them to nothingness." As he talked the fire shifted, showing what he said. "Her voice was even so glorious that it could stop even a dragon from killing her. Her flames were so enticing, that great battles would stop and look up at her, even with death all around them. She was the most powerful beast in the sky, until the queen of the dragons, Saphorian, met her in battle. Both were mortally wounded, and were forced to retreat, but Pyrnoc was never seen again after that. Some say she died of her wounds, while others say that she lives, sulking in a cave somewhere gathering her strength so that she can become, without a shadow of a doubt, the most powerful, most dangerous, most beautiful creature in the world." As his tale finished, the fire became normal again after flourishing one last time. Applause rose from the humans, and they all dispersed.

" _Interesting. I am curious to know more of these creatures, but that is a question for another time. I am quite exhausted after today._ "

" _I'm not surprised._ " Saphira told him quietly as he flew back to her to rest.


End file.
